The other night I was out for dinner with my family.  At the table next to ours sat a large party with three infants under the age of one.  One of the moms was nursing, rather awkwardly I might add, and the scene brought back my own memories of nursing.

Breastfeeding in Public is a Personal Choice

Nursing in Public is every woman’s right to do if she so chooses.  I know other Moms who nurse literally in front of everyone with nary a cover, as a matter of principle.  Should a Mom leave her breast exposed if that is her preference?  After all, it’s her right isn’t it?

On one hand there are those who say that nursing is natural, and that it is best for baby, and no one should feel awkward with viewing a nursing breast.  On the other hand, there are those who argue that urinating is natural too, yet, we still do so privately.  My take on it?  I support breast-feeding in public as a mother’s and baby’s right. Nursing with a cover not only meets the objective of meeting our baby’s nutritional needs, it also spares others who may feel uncomfortable at the view.  Remember,  other people have personal preferences too,  as well as religious beliefs that need to be respected up to a point.

Where To Breastfeed

The term “nursing in public” can run the gamut from a public restroom, to inside a car, to out in the dining room of a restaurant like in the opening example.  If you’re in a restroom because you’re shy about exposing yourself,  please keep in mind that the stall of a toilet may not be the most sanitary, and comfortable place to feed your baby.  Try to patronize places that cater to families.  As the breast is best movement keeps gaining momentum (at least in the U.S.A.), many establishments are creating family lounges, and family restrooms which have comfortable areas strictly for a Mom to nurse.  If a lounge area in the bathroom is unavailable and you still cannot bring yourself to nurse in the open even with a cover, make sure to wash your hands before and after breastfeeding.

Nursing in the Car

To those who still run to the car to nurse (like I did), don’t let others make you feel bad about it.  Some moms I came across that were big breast-feeding proponents expressed dismay or mirth at my method of nursing.  They either implied that I could do more for the breast is best movement, or that I was a prude.  Breastfeeding is not a crusade, at least not for me.  I was simply giving my child what I thought was best in a way which I was most comfortable.

For the Moms out there who can and do breastfeed in public, without the cover of a car or a bathroom stall, kudos to you!  As long as you and baby are comfortable, there is no reason to let others impose they’re methods on you.

What To Wear

First, the basics of clothing and bra. You can wear any of the following combination:

• Nursing tops designed to both support you without need of a bra, and to expose your breast easily when nursing.  Make sure to buy one with wide straps if your cups “runneth over” from lactating.  They offer more support than those with thin straps.

• Nursing tops with a nursing bra.  The bra provides both support and lift.  The nursing tops enables the least amount of clothing manipulation, allowing for quick and easy access.

• Regular tops with nursing  bra.  I was wearing regular tops a few months into nursing.  Regular tops are usually more stylish, and offers a lot more choices, so I opted to go with them early on.  I chose tops with loose styles that I could either pull down easily, or pull up without trouble.

• Nursing pads with all of the above.  For me this was an essential, as I leaked from one or both breasts during times I wasn’t nursing.  A lot of moms do, so don’t be caught unaware.
  • Tip: Change them often. When nursing, fold your bra cup, along with the pad, inwards and pull down so you don’t have to take them out if you don’t wish to replace them after every feeding.

More on Nursing Covers

Going back to the Mom I saw in the restaurant,  she was nursing with a large blanket, which in my experience is not the most efficient cover to use.  To drape yourself, you usually either have someone hold the blanket up while you position baby, or you tuck a corner of the blanket under your chin.  Not comfortable at all.

There are blanket options out there made from breathable materials, and are also light and stylish. They are available from places like Amazon.com or from companies like Bebe Au Lait (which I personally used).  These blankets have a neck tie piece, usually adjustable, and it keeps one corner of the blanket around your neck, leaving you free to maneuver the rest of it.

Baby Slings

With a baby sling you can either nurse the baby inside or use it as a cover.  Most people really won’t notice that the baby nestled in the sling is actually breastfeeding.  This may take some practice, so try it at home first.

Your Thoughts on Breastfeeding Baby in Public

Moms, do you agree with public breastfeeding? What methods do you use to pull it off?

Myths abound that you can’t get pregnant while breastfeeding. It’s true that you can get pregnant while nursing, but you can also use breastfeeding as a reliable form of birth control – in some cases – until your menstrual periods return on a normal cycle.

Does that sound confusing?

• Yes, breastfeeding works as birth control. For certain women under certain conditions, it is 98 to 99.5 % effective, which is as effective as the pill or condoms for pregnancy prevention.

• If your regular periods have returned, you can get pregnant while breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Can Be Used as Birth Control If:

• Your baby is exclusively breastfed, night and day

• Your baby is under 6 months old

• Your periods have not returned

You can increase the effectiveness of nursing as birth control by breastfeeding on cue, breastfeeding for comfort, and not using bottles or pacifiers at all. These factors all increase the amount of time baby spends at breast.

While rare, you can get pregnant before your periods return, especially if your nursing baby is:

• Over 6 months old

• Sleeping through the night

• Eating solid foods and drinking formula or cow’s milk as well as your milk

Getting Pregnant Without Having a Period

In some rare cases, an egg will be released as your cycle returns, but will immediately be fertilized. This is how some women can go two years or longer without a menstrual period. Babies born within 12 months of each other are often the result of this situation.

For mothers who breastfeed, however, they will usually have at least 6 months of protection against pregnancy – again, providing the baby is exclusively breastfed on cue and is not yet sleeping through the night.

What If You Get Pregnant While Still Nursing?

Once your periods return, nursing is no longer an effective means of birth control. However, the good news is that it’s very rare for a woman to conceive before her period returns. The first few periods in a new cycle after childbirth tend to be anovulatory, a period where no egg is released.

Don’t worry – there’s no need to immediately wean your baby, whatever his age. Many women successfully nurse through their pregnancy and then “tandem nurse” (nurse both an infant and a toddler) after the new baby is born.

Around the second trimester, your milk may change in taste and composition as colostrum begins to come in to feed the baby on the way. At this point, many toddlers will self-wean. Others will turn to nursing only to fall asleep or for comfort, increasing their intake of solid foods and decreasing their time at the breast.

Mothers who tandem nurse say their children are closer, learn how to share better, and experience less sibling rivalry and jealousy.

Click here to learn more about Tandem nursing and breastfeeding to prevent pregnancy.

The sculptor Daniel Edwards always like controversial subjects. I mean, remember the nude statue of Britney Spears giving birth to her son Sean Preston? Or Suri Cruise’s baby poop in bronze? Or Paris Hilton’s unborn twin fetuses?

This time it’s Angelina Jolie and her twins who inspired Edwards. If you remember, Jolie posed for the cover of W magazine last year while breastfeeding her then newborn twins. Inspired by that photo, the latest piece is called Landmark for Breastfeeding, depicting a life-sized nude Jolie sitting on a park bench and double breastfeeding two babies. According to this ABC report, Edwards depicted one baby as African-American and the other not. Sorry, I can’t confirm this. I can’t really tell from the photos. But I can tell that Jolie is breastfeeding the babies using the so-called “football hold”, something which I’ve tried with my twins, too (not very comfortable for the mom, believe me).

The work is supposedly on display at the Mainsite Contemporary Art Museum in Norman, Oklahoma starting September 11 but will be traveling to London soon for an exhibition

According to Edwards, his new work is meant to raise global awareness of breastfeeding and encourage women to breastfeed in public. Edwards claims to be a social activist, using his works as social commentaries. But he also loves controversy, thus choice of celebrity subjects.

What do you think?

Do you think Edwards is sincere about supporting breastfeeding? Do you think the sculpture is serving its noble purpose?

As a little girl, my ultimate dream was having a doll that could walk. I can’t remember when Santa Claus finally granted my wish but yes, I eventually got my walking doll. Since then, the whole toy industry has rapidly undergone a revolution, with dolls which can talk, cry, sing, dance, drink and do anything else that is close to a little girl’s heart. Anything that technology can do.

Thus, it is not surprising that somebody came up with a breastfeeding doll. Meet Bebe Gloton, the creation of the Spanish toy company Berjuan, the company that makes Munecas con Corazon (Dolls with Hearts). Bebe Gloton translates as “Greedy Baby” in English and it definitely tries its best to simulate one.

Here is how Bebe Gloton works:

It comes with a bra-like halter that “mommy-child” can wear. Two flowers represent the nipples. The doll latches on to the flower and make suckling sounds (“chup, chup, chup”). After feeding, the baby needs to be burped to stop its crying.

It is also not surprising that such a toy can trigger strong reactions both negative as well as positive. Here’s what parents have to say about Baby Gloton:

Positive Opinion of the Breastfeeding Doll

Bebe Gloton encourages the natural process of breastfeeding. Some parents think that many women are uncomfortable with breastfeeding, especially in the public. They feel that incorporating breastfeeding in a child’s play can help girls get used to the natural process early in life. Indeed, that is how the toy company is promoting the product – the first step towards breastfeeding.

Negative Opinion of the Breastfeeding Doll

Bebe Gloton is inappropriate, and promotes sexualization of little girls and the act breastfeeding. While many parents believe breastfeeding is a natural process, they feel it is inappropriate to allow young girls to mimic it. Breastfeeding is for adults only and such a toy is absolutely age (not to mention socially) inappropriate.

The doll is quite life-sized, like the average size of a real new-born baby (19.6 inches) and is available either as boy or a girl. It costs about 44 Euros and is currently only available in Spain. It goes without saying that there is a whole collection of wardrobe and accessories available for Bebe Gloton.

I am all for breastfeeding but I don’t really believe that the company is simply doing this to promote the natural process of lactation. In the end, it’s all about making money. However, I also do not believe that Bebe Gloton can lead to sexualization. It’s just a doll.

What do you think?

What is your opinion about the Bebe Gloton brestfeeding doll?

We’re mid-way through World Breastfeeding Week, but it’s not too late to get involved. The theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is “Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life.”

The health benefits of breastfeeding through the first year and beyond are well established. But many people don’t think about nursing mothers during times of tragedy such as earthquakes, floods, or war. There is no better comfort, both physical and emotional, for a mother and baby in the midst of a disaster, than nursing. It’s especially important that nursing mothers receive the support they need, including water, healthy food, and a comfortable place to nurse.

World Breastfeeding Week, taking place from August 1 – 7, 2009 is organized by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action. According to the organization, breastfeeding advocates in more than 150 countries will take part in the celebration, now in its 18th year.

Breast is best, even in a crisis

The World Health Organization and UNICEF have joined WABA in the celebration. Both organizations issued a press release explaining the importance of a mother breastfeeding her infant or toddler in the midst of a crisis.

Historically, well-meaning groups have cited “inadequate milk supply” brought on by stress and/or malnutrition as a reason to provide nursing mothers with formula. In reality, breastfeeding through a crisis helps the mother maintain her milk supply (as most nursing mothers know, the more you nurse the more milk you produce), as well as offering emotional benefits throughout the tragedy. The endorphins released during breastfeeding can actually help a mother cope when everything she has known is in upheaval. Meanwhile, the nursing infant or toddlers regains a sense of normalcy from the familiarity of his mother’s milk.

Even more important, the antibodies present in breast milk can help children fight off infections and disease that may result from less-than-sanitary conditions, a lack of clean water and inadequate food supplies.

Breastmilk (unless it is pumped) needs no refrigeration for storage, requires no heating or added water, and involves no sterilization of bottles and nipples. As far as a convenient, nutritious “emergency” food, it really doesn’t get any better!

Local activities

Several local organizations, including various chapters of La Leche League, are hosting fundraising and awareness activities in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, with a specific emphasis on this year’s theme.

Some of the activities include picnics, bake sales, walk-a-thons, potluck dinners and more. You can find out more at the La Leche League USA Web site.

You don’t even have to leave your house to support the message of World Breastfeeding Week, though. The Mother’s International Lactation Campaign (M.I.L.C.), non-profit organization, dedicated to the normalization, protection and promotion of breastfeeding, is holding a Virtual Nurse-in until August 7 at 6 PM.

Get involved

No one likes to think about tragedy striking, but natural and man-made disasters can occur anywhere. There’s no reason for a nursing mother to curtail her breastfeeding during challenging times.

It’s easy to get involved in raising awareness of the importance of breastfeeding during emergencies. You can participate in any of the activities going on worldwide, join M.I.L.C’s efforts as part of the virtual nurse-in or simply take a few minutes while you are nursing to think about those experiencing difficult times – and then spread the word to others about how important it is to consider nursing mothers during emergency preparedness.

There has been scientific evidence that a nursing mother’s diet can directly contribute to her newborn’s colic. A study published in the journal of Pediatrics by Dr. David Hill of the Australian Royal Children’s Hospital said that “Our findings suggest in breast-fed infants who are otherwise well, and where breast-feeding technique is satisfactory, a significant number of infants can have their distressed behavior improved within one week of diet modification”.

Other reputable institutions also believe that breastfed babies with colic may be reacting to something their mothers ate. For example, the Oklahoma State Department of Health published a document titled, Colic: Why Babies Have It… in which the author states, “Colic may be the result of formula allergies or an an allergy to something the breastfeeding mother has eaten, like dairy products, gassy vegetables and caffeine-containing foods.”

What is colic?

Colic refers to the condition where babies will be extremely fussy and cry for a long stretch of time. Many parents can recall those first few months when they didn’t know how to stop the discomfort of their new bundle of joy.

What causes colic:

• Gulping gas while feeding

• Allergic reaction to formula or something the mother ate for breastfed babies

• Immature digestive systems trying to function

Symptoms of colic:

• Comforting the baby can be difficult

• Babies will cry for up to three hours

• They may pull their clinched feet and hands towards their body as if in pain

• Some will become gassy

• Bloated stomach

Colic Management

Doctors recommend that mothers who breastfeed pay close attention to the foods they eat. It is believed that removing milk and milk products, as well as vegetables like peas can actually help.

Holding your baby face down cradled with the head in the crook of your arm can also help. The baby’s legs should be on either side of your hand and try gently rocking back and forth. This is easier of course with smaller babies.

If all else fails, there are also special kinds of formula that can help to soothe the colic baby. Enfamil makes a colic formula which contains extensively broken down proteins that quickly reduce allergy-related symptoms such as colic. (Click here for a FREE sample of Enfamil Nutramigen Colic Formula).

What do you think about the mother in this case? A 26-year-old North Dakota mom was arrested for breastfeeding her baby while she was drunk.

Police were called to her home to investigate a domestic disturbance, and found Stacey Anvarinia breastfeeding her 6-week-old baby. The officers believed that she was drunk and arrested her. Last week she pleaded guilty to child neglect charges, and is due to be sentenced next month.

North Dakota authorities said that they believed that the police were correct to make the arrest, even if the mother hadn’t been breastfeeding, out of concern that the child was being taken care of by someone who was intoxicated.

Getting falling-down drunk then breastfeeding is one thing. But having a glass of wine in the evening – is that something that a mom could be arrested for? I hope not. Unwinding at the end of the day when baby is in bed with a little TV and a glass of wine is sanity-restoring to many moms.

The La Leche League says that light drinking is compatible with breastfeeding, and that one drink a day or less isn’t harmful to your baby.

So can you drink alcohol if you are breastfeeding? And should you be worried about being arrested? Alcohol certainly gets into breastmilk in small quantities.

So the most sensible thing for nursing mom to do is just a little planning. It takes a couple of hours for your body to process one drink – like a glass of wine or a bottle of beer. So if you have a glass of red wine in the evening just after you put baby to bed, knowing that the next time you’ll need to nurse won’t be for a couple of hours at least, then you and your baby should be fine.

And if you have more than one drink? What if you are going to a wedding, or a night out? Some mothers avoid breastfeeding their babies for several hours after drinking, either pumping breastmilk beforehand to feed the baby, or using formula. Then, after drinking alcohol, pumping milk and dumping it eases any engorgement and gets rid of any milk which may have alcohol in it.

What do you think? Are you a nursing mother who drinks alcohol? How much is too much? Or should nursing moms never drink alcohol?

Breastfeeding is the best for baby as well as for mommy. Yet, there are women out there for whom breastfeeding just wouldn’t work no matter how much they tried. Most often these women are confronted with frustration not to mention guilty feelings. “Where did I go wrong?” is the question always asked.

Researchers have now found the reason why many women cannot produce breast milk in ample amount and the message is clear – it’s not your fault, mom. It’s something in the environment. And you are not alone, either. There are between 3 to 6 million other moms like you in the US who are facing a similar problem.

The reason why breastfeeding doesn’t sometimes work may be due to dioxins.

So what do we know about dioxins?

• It is produced when waste, especially plastics, is incinerated.
• It is present in large amount in the environment.
• It is can enter the food chain and get into our food – e.g. fish, meat, and dairy products.
• It accumulates in our fatty tissues.
• Prolonged exposure may affect the immune system and developing organs.

So how is dioxin linked to breastfeeding and breast milk production?

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center has found that dioxins can

• Affect breast tissue development during pregnancy. It can, for example, interfere with the proliferation of breast cells a well as six days into the pregnancy – even before mom knows she is pregnant.
• Change the induction of milk-producing genes, which usually happens on the 9^th day of pregnancy
• Decrease the number of ductal branches and mature lobules in the mammary tissue.

Unfortunately, the researchers cannot give information on how to protect ourselves. However, there is an indication that watching what we eat during pregnancy might help reduce dioxin’s adverse effect on breast development. Timing is also of importance. It seems that when the harmful exposure occurs early in the pregnancy, the mammary gland still gets to recover. Later exposure might cause irreversible damage.

It is not clear what the effects of dioxin are on newborns but it can’t be any good. Who knows? Maybe it is for the best that breasfeeding moms don’t get exposed to dioxins that might get into the breast milk.

It’s a well-known fact. Breast milk is best for babies. In the process, mommy’s health is also benefited by reducing the risks of hormone-related diseases such as breast and cervical cancer.

Recent research indicates, however, that it’s not about the benefits of breastfeeding to mommy’s health. It’s more like the risks of not breastfeeding that should be looked into.

A recent study of 139,681 women indicates that breastfeeding even just for six months in a lifetime decreases a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD: hypertension, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes) come postmenopausal stage. The female hormones render women some protection against heart disease and related disorders. Once menopause sets in, this protection wanes, resulting in creased incidence of CVD in women.

The study found that with increasing duration of breastfeeding (cumulative), the risks for CVD decreases. And this risk reduction didn’t have to do with weight because study participants who breastfed and who didn’t, did not significantly differ in terms of body weight and body mass index (BMI). It has always been thought that breastfeeding helps get rid of pregnancy fat reserves. The study results did not confirm this. However, other protective effects, possibly related to the hormone oxytocin, may play a role. Oxytocin is the “feel good” hormone responsible for mother-baby bonding and strong maternal feelings but may also have some anti-stress effects that contribute to the well-being of the breastfeeding mom.

So is it the benefits of breastfeeding or the risks of not breastfeeding to maternal health? According to Dr Eleanor Bimla Schwarz of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Healthcare, it must be the latter. Breastfeeding is part of the whole biological cycle of reproduction. Becoming pregnant and not fulfilling the cycle of nature by breastfeeding can have some adverse effects on the female body.

“During pregnancy, the body stores up a bunch of nutrients with the plan that it’s going to release much of this in the form of breast milk, a very calorific food. If this doesn’t happen, what we see is that the woman’s body pays the price. Breast-feeding really helps bring you back to your baseline, and it helps women recover from the stress test that pregnancy entails.”

This seems logical enough. However, we should bear in mind that there are women who are incapable of breastfeeding, for one reason or another, even if they want to.

My friend told me a story about when she was pregnant and her milk suddenly showed up unexpectedly. She was out to lunch with her husband and mother-in-law when she suddenly realized everyone was staring at her chest.  She looked down and was horrified to see that her breasts were leaking milk right through her shirt and everyone at the table was watching, wide-eyed.  Without warning, her mother-in-law burst into tears of happiness, announcing to the whole restaurant that her soon-to-be-born grandchild would indeed have milk to drink.  My friend was a little horrified, but at the same time was glad to know that she wasn’t going to have any problems with her milk.

My milk didn’t show up until after my baby was born, but I did have some warning signs that it was on its way. My breasts getting bigger was the first sign, but I think it was when I was around seven months pregnant that I started feeling soreness in my breasts that I had never felt before. It wasn’t necessarily painful, but it felt like something was going on. Changes were happening, and I was happy at the prospect of the milk getting ready to make its appearance.

When I was closer to my due date I noticed what looked like dried colostrum on my nipples. There wasn’t a lot of it and it wasn’t bothersome, but I was really happy when I noticed it. I think I was afraid that my milk might not ever show up and I wouldn’t be able to nurse my baby, but seeing this let me know that it was on its way.

I never did have a moment when any milk dripped out before I had my baby. Believe me, though, when I say that it didn’t take long after labor until suddenly my breasts were huge and I had more than enough milk available. If I hadn’t been looking for the signs beforehand then I may not have noticed all the changes my breasts were going through. For this reason, I urge you to not panic if you don’t notice any huge changes to your breasts indicative of milk on the way.

After all, if you’re anything like me you’ll have plenty of opportunities after the baby is born to have your milk leak while at a restaurant with in-laws.

Here is another use for breastmilk – testing for breast cancer. And if you are nursing or are planning to in the coming year, you might just consider volunteering for this research program.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are looking volunteers who:

• are breastfeeding or pumping breastmilk
• who have had a breast biopsy previously or who are scheduled to have one soon
• willing to donate breastmilk and answer a questionnaire

The purpose of the study funded by Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, is to investigate whether mythelated genes, which are indicators of pre-cancerous changes in breast tissue can be detected in cells found in breastmilk. The methylation process in breast cells can proceed towards cancer development. Thus, detecting methylation amounts to early detection of breast cancer.

Currently, the most commonly used screening method for breast cancer is mammography. However, the method presents some limitation, including discomfort, invasiveness, and radiation exposure.

Testing using breastmilk has the advantage of being non-invasive. In addition, unlike biopsy, breast milk gives a representative sample of cells from all the glands in the breast rather than just an isolated area of the breast.

For those of you who are interested in cancer prevention advocacy, then this is a good chance for you to show your support. More information can be found in the research program’s site www.breastmilkresearch.org.

Do you nurse in public? When I first began breastfeeding my son, I was extremely shy about nursing in front of anyone. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to see any more skin than I might want to show someone, whether I was in public or even at home with guests. But after spending the Christmas holidays holed up in the bedroom nursing my newborn rather than enjoying the company of our visiting family members, I realized enough was enough. After all, no one was making me breastfeed my son in private – except me.

A quick survey would have found that our guests would not have been uncomfortable with me nursing in front of them. I was the one who was embarrassed.

Nursing in public can be challenging, especially the first time. But over the past few months I have come up with several tips and tricks for nursing in public.

• Find a secluded spot. If you can, try to find a low traffic site where you can nurse comfortably. This could be a corner booth in a restaurant, a dressing room at the department store, or a park bench.
• Make sure you’re comfortable. There’s nothing worse than hunching over to get baby to latch – and then getting stuck in that position for a half hour or longer. Bring a pillow if you need to, or use a folded up blanket to position yourself and your baby comfortably.
• Make sure others are comfortable. If I’m with a group, I ask if anyone would be uncomfortable with my nursing my son. In most cases, everyone is fine with it, but I think sometimes it doesn’t hurt to ask.
• Don’t over-expose. In the winter, a pashmina scarf around my neck and shoulders helps to keep people from seeing anything I don’t want them to see. In warmer months, I bring with me a receiving blanket that I can drape over my shoulder to shield baby from onlookers. Many online stores also sell special tops or covers to keep you covered during a feeding.
• Practice at home. Nurse your baby in front of a mirror or ask your husband or a friend if they can see more than you would want someone to see of you in public.
• Check the laws. Many states have laws regarding breastfeeding. Check out this link for your local laws. Some states allow breastfeeding in any public place. Some states will even let you get our of jury duty if you are a nursing mom!

Breastfeeding in public can be nerve racking, but with a few preparations you can do so comfortably.

My five-month-old daughter is a sporadic eater. Some days, she wants to eat every hour, for an hour at a time, and I can’t make enough milk to keep her satisfied. Other days, she’s on a nice every three or four hour schedule. On those days, I keep walking into stuff with my boobs because I forget how big they’ve gotten, engorged with milk. (I was a small B-cup before pregnancy, and I really sympathize with large-chested women now!)

I didn’t have much luck with a breast pump. I purchased a decent, mid-priced, multi-speed electric. It doesn’t work for me, but since I work at home, I couldn’t justify spending more to get a better pump for the handful of times I might use it. I really don’t mind the engorgement; I like knowing I have milk available in case my daughter wants it!

However, if I could pump, my supply would probably be more steady. Instead, I’ve had to resort to other tactics to keep my supply up for those days when she is an insatiable eating machine.

Here are my best tips for increasing your milk production.

• Pump or nurse a lot. When I first started nursing, I also had issues with my milk supply. My pediatrician recommended supplementing with formula, which turned out to be counterintuitive. I increased my supply simply by letting my daughter nurse A LOT. I used olive oil or Lansinoh on my nipples to prevent soreness.

• Relax. A few weeks ago, every magazine I write for was on deadline, clients were slow to pay, and I was stressing big time. My milk production dropped—at an inopportune time, when my daughter was going through a growth spurt. Nursing moms, remember, whatever else you have going on in your life at this time, your primary job is to make milk to feed your baby. *Everything else takes a back seat.* (Well, except your other kids, if you have them, of course). I can’t stress this enough. The second I made my deadlines and got some money in my bank account, my milk production increased again. But I made the mistake of letting outside stressors get to me. Meditate, exercise, take deep breaths, soak in a tub, take a few hours and spend some time with your friends. Whatever you need to do to relax, do it! You owe it to yourself and your baby.

• Stay hydrated – I notice my supply drop slightly if I don’t stay hydrated. The recommended amount is 8 glasses—that’s 64 oz., or a half gallon—of water a day.

• Oatmeal – When my milk production dropped last time, I realized I had switched from having oatmeal every morning for breakfast to eating whole-grain waffles. Again, no one knows why it works, but steel cut oats (not that fake instant oatmeal) supposedly increases milk production. I’m back to oatmeal and I’m back to a good supply.

• Fenugreek – This herbal supplement has been used for thousands of years to help nursing mothers produce more milk. You should take approximately three 590 – 610 mg. capsules three times a day, or until your sweat and urine begin to smell like maple syrup. Do not use Fenugreek if you are pregnant. Read more about this powerful herb.

• Blessed Thistle – This is supposed to work in combination with Fenugreek to increase milk supply. I had success with Fenugreek alone, so I haven’t tried Blessed Thistle. Read more about it.

• Eat enough. Nursing moms need 500 calories above their recommended usual caloric intake. While it’s nice to treat yourself to dessert every once in a while and not have to worry about it going straight to your hips, try to get those extra calories from healthy foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and a tiny bit of extra protein. Remember, if you exercise, you need to take in those calories you burned PLUS an extra 500.

Nursing moms, what tips did I forget? What worked to increase your milk production?

Nursing your baby should be a comfortable and enjoyable experience for you both, right? Then why is it that so many women find the experience to be difficult, uncomfortable or pain-inducing? Before you throw in the towel and turn to formula, there are a few things that you can try to make the process of nursing more comfortable.

First, make sure you are relaxed. Choose an area in your home where you are comfortable, such as a cozy and supportive chair, preferably with arms. Put your feet up on a foot rest or stool and relax. Use pillows to support your back or arms, and a nursing pillow to prop up the baby to the correct position and make feeding easier on your back. Take deep breaths, relax, and enjoy the closeness of your baby.

Have your essentials nearby. Before you begin nursing, make sure there is a table or other surface within arm’s reach, and place your essentials there for easy access. You might be there a while, so plan to have a big glass of water, snacks, a book, the television remote, a phone or any other items you might need.

When beginning the nursing session, be sure you’re comfortable. Resist the urge to hunch forward when getting your baby to latch – instead, use those pillows to prop the baby up and to support your arms.

Take care of yourself. If you are beginning to get sore nipples, treat them with lanolin made especially for nursing moms. Also be sure to get plenty of rest, as well as healthy foods and plenty of water. In addition, if you are feeling pain or discomfort while nursing, contact your doctor or a lactation consultant as soon as it starts so that you can be treated right away. Mastitis, plugged ducts and other problems can make nursing difficult for both you and baby – the sooner you are treated, the sooner you will both feel better.

Breastfeeding isn’t always easy, but you can do some simple things to make the experience more comfortable and relaxed.

Another plus for breastfeeding – it may actually reduce the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse, according to a study that will be presented at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Seattle this coming April-May.

The study followed up 32 women with MS and 29 without MS during their pregnancies and up to 1 year after delivery. During the follow-up period, 36% of women with MS who breastfed for at least 2 months had a relapse. This seems high but if you consider that 87% of non-breastfeeding women with MS had a relapse, then the message becomes clear.

52% of those with MS did not breastfeed or only did for a very short time and the main reason why they chose to do so was because they wanted to start taking their MS medications again. Most MS drugs cannot be taken while breasfeeding because they can get into the mother’s milk and affect breastfed babies. Unfortunately, the study showed that restarting medications within two months of delivery actually increased, rather than decreased the incidence of relapse.

The findings suggest that stopping breastfeeding early in favor of MS treatments may not be that beneficial to the mom after all. However, the mechanisms behind the breastfeeding – MS relapse link are not clearly understood and the study population was too small to be conclusive. Bigger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Perhaps one of the most nerve racking feats for a new mom is the first time you nurse in public. I tried to avoid doing it, and got away with quick exits to my car, or nursing rooms that some wonderful buildings provide for almost three months, but eventually there was a time where my son was hungry, no, make that HUNGRYFEEDMENOW, with nowhere to go, so deep breath, deploy blanket, shirt up, nurse. I survived.

What I was worrying about most, and I know that it’s something breastfeeding women should not have to care about, is what did other people think? Was someone going to say something, or ask me to stop, or to leave?

Breastfeeding in public is legal everywhere in the USA.  If you and your baby are legally allowed to be somewhere, you have the right to nurse your baby there. That means stores, restaurants, public places, at work, at a park, the market, the library, the mall. This law supersedes laws about indecent exposure, meaning that it’s ok to show breast or nipple when breastfeeding a baby.

This month, a breastfeeding mother was asked to cover herself up at a Denny’s restaurant in North Carolina after other customers complained. The manager told a local newspaper that “In this particular case, this guest was exposed in a manner that was causing discomfort toward other guests to the point of them complaining to management and leaving the restaurant.”

Generally, us nursing moms don’t want or mean to flash anyone. Nursing babies have zero concept of indecent exposure and just want to get fed, or decide to be awkward about getting fed, which is responsible for the majority of nip slips. And then there’s all the babies who don’t want to eat with a blanket over their heads.

The mother is seeking an apology from Denny’s. So far, none has been forthcoming, so nursing mothers are planning a nationwide nurse-in at Denny’s restaurants on Sunday 22nd February at 1 p.m. If you want to join in, just show up at your local Denny’s, and nurse. There’s a Yahoo group to organize meetings with other mothers, or invite your mom friends to go with you.

This isn’t the first nursing incident to garner national attention. In 2007, a woman was asked to cover her baby with a blanket after another customer complained in an Applebee’s restaurant. Almost 2,000 nursing moms joined in a national nurse-in after Applebees refused to apologize, instead offering to carry blankets in their restaurants so nursing moms could cover up.

And the most unintentional ironic breastfeeding dispute? In 2006, A women who sat down in Victoria’s Secret to nurse her baby was told to move to a restroom. Why? “because the sight of her breasts might offend a customer”.

I tried to nurse as discretely as possible, I never really felt comfortable doing it. I was relived that I was never hassled over it. I have friends who whip a boob out and start nursing their babies without a care as to who might be looking, and I admire their attitude.

After all, breasts are to feed babies, and really it’s ridiculous to take offense to it. The common theme in all these incidents isn’t bad attitudes at the businesses where they took place, rather complaints from other customers which caused managers to take a misguided action. It’s hard for a manager or employer who may not know the rules, and I expect the managers thought that asking the mother to cover up her baby was a reasonable request.

So I don’t know how much good a nurse-in at Denny’s will do.  Unless it changes a few attitudes amongst the general public, and helps stop people complaining about nursing mothers.

Of course we already know that, but it helps to be reminded from time to time. According to reports, Salma Hayek enjoys breastfeeding so much she breastfed a hungry child when she made a visit to Sierra Leone. The mother could not produce breast milk, and the actress stepped in to help. Her trip to Sierra Leone was part of a fact finding mission for UNICEF.

Hayek was quoted online saying that she enjoyed breastfeeding her daughter Valentina so much she was “like an alcoholic.” She appeared on NBC’s Today show to talk about the experience. “It’s about women sticking together and we really need to help the children in any way we can,” she said.

As part of her work for UNICEF, Hayek is trying to encourage more women breastfeed their babies as a way to strengthen their immune systems. Addressing the issue, Hayek said, “It is the best thing you can do for your child, not only the bonding, that’s how you build the immune system, so in a country like Africa imagine how important it is for the mothers to do that.”

Then she spoke on one aspect of caring for a baby that is probably an area of concern for many parents. “…there is the belief that if you are breastfeeding you cannot have a sexual life, so the husbands of these women are really encouraging them to stop…,” she said. It is a well known fact that having a young baby can sometimes lead to problems with intimacy, and this is something that many couples have struggled with. I do find it surprising though that the husbands Hayek spoke of would try to discourage their wives from breastfeeding. This is especially surprising, since in many third world countries breastfeeding is actually used as a form of birth control.

I certainly hope that Hayek’s efforts and the work of UNICEF in Africa and indeed worldwide will yield results. I think there is enough evidence to support the idea that breastfeeding is the best thing for a baby, as long as the mother is able to. Many people including myself would not think this would be an issue in Africa, but more likely in more developed nations where new mothers often have careers or other concerns. In fact, in many African countries and others with primarily people of African descent, breastfeeding is the norm rather than the exception. However, times are changing and so women everywhere may well be moving away from breastfeeding exclusively during the first few months of their babies’ lives.

I applaud Hayek for helping this baby in need. I hope that some suitable alternative was found to help the mother to feed her child. There were no further details available in the online stories on the issue.
Hayek’s daughter, Valentina was born in September 2007. Her father is Francois-Henri Pinault, CEO of the French company, PPR.

When I had my first child, I needed quite a bit of breastfeeding support in order to gain enough confidence to breastfeed properly. I had a public health nurse come visit, I went to numerous breastfeeding clinics, I read and I went to breastfeeding workshops.

The one person who really helped me through was Dr. Jack Newman. He is known by many as the breastfeeding “guru” and in my books, he truly is amazing.

Whenever I had a personal question, I emailed him and he returned my email usually within 24 hours or less. His website is an excellent resource for breastfeeding mothers.

With my second child, I required less support in getting breastfeeding to be successful (although we still do have our challenges), but the one thing that saved my life (or at least it feels that way) was Dr. Newman’s recipe for All Purpose Nipple Ointment. This ointment is like a miracle cream. Seriously! I found this ointment has also helped some other skin issues that I have had since giving birth (at my doctor’s suggestion) and I have learned just how “all purpose” this ointment truly is!

Dr. Newman’s website is a valuable resource for breastfeeding Moms. He includes many helpful handouts on every topic under the sun when it comes to breastfeeding. He also have some videos that are very helpful, especially for first time Moms.

Jack Newman runs a breastfeeding clinic that used to be government funded, but since 2005 has lost that funding altogether. In order to continue running his amazing clinic and his VERY valuable website and services, he requires donations.

OK, tell me something I don’t know. I hope the researchers from southern California didn’t pay too much money to learn that going to back to work makes it more difficult to continue nursing your baby.

Specifically, they learned that when women go back to work in less than six weeks, they are up to four times more likely to quit breastfeeding. And, if they go back to work somewhere between six and twelve weeks, they are at twice the “risk” of weaning the baby. The findings were published in January in a report titled “Juggling Work and Breastfeeding: Effects of Maternity Leave and Occupational Characteristics.”

Of course, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for a full twelve months. And of course, the authors of the study say women should take longer maternity leaves. That might be possible in France, where, by law, women are given four months of PAID leave (six weeks before birth and ten weeks after). But here in the US, the Family Medical Leave Act promises full-time working moms (and dads) that their jobs will be there when they return from up to 12 weeks of UNpaid leave. Women who work part-time are not protected by the FMLA.

Actually, researchers from Canada’s McGill University surveyed 168 countries, and learned that the United States, along with Lesotho, Liberia, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea were the only countries without any paid maternity leave. As many as 98 nations pay 14 weeks or more! Of course, it’s a matter of great debate whether or not we should pay for maternity leave here in America–a worthwhile debate that I don’t want to get into right now.

I actually just wonder how many women do manage to continue nursing after returning to work. My son was born in December. Since I was a teacher overseas, I lost my job for the rest of the year. We returned to the US and I began teaching part-time again in August. And, in fact, my son quit nursing soon after. For me, I couldn’t do the pump. I felt like a dairy cow when I hooked up to that thing. Now, with my daughter, I intended to return to work this month, but due to budget restraints in our local school district, there is no job for me. So I’m not teaching, and I am still breastfeeding. Probably not a coincidence. I had two friends/colleagues who would go into the restroom at lunch and pump breast milk, put it in the refrigerator in the office and use it for the next day’s bottles at the sitter. Whew! I admire them. I couldn’t keep that up.

Do you think that going back to work affected the duration of nursing your baby? Would paid leave make a difference for you as far as breastfeeding goes? Is it necessarily “bad” to quit nursing your baby after you go back to work at 6 or 12 weeks?

The bra I’m wearing right now is frilly and feminine and has an under-wire.  Why am I telling you this? I’m revealing this personal tidbit because I want to get across to all you nursing moms that you won’t have to wear an ugly, milk-stained bra forever, despite how you may feel right now with regards to your status as a lactating machine.

I nursed for almost three years straight.  I stopped nursing my daughter when she was fifteen months old (and I was five months pregnant) and then nursed my son until he was thirteen months old.  During my four month respite in between the two my milk never stopped producing so I didn’t dare go back to any of my pretty bras because I didn’t want to ruin them…and besides that I couldn’t stuff my breasts into my old bras even if I wanted to.

I spent three years wearing horribly plain white nursing bras.  I wore the kind with sensible straps and panels that opened in the front.  They worked wonderfully for the purpose I needed them to serve.  It was great to be able to somewhat discreetly unhook the front panel of my bra so my baby could nurse without giving everyone around me a peep show.  The thing I couldn’t stand was how horribly plain they were.  I’ve always been the type of gal who wants to have a pretty bra on underneath my clothes so no matter how sloppy I looked or how much spit-up was dried up on my shirt I could still feel pretty under my shirt.  With the plain white bras, however, I didn’t feel very feminine.

Isn’t it funny that I wouldn’t feel feminine despite the fact that I was doing something only women can do (nursing my babies, that is)?

At any rate, I spent some time looking into buying some more ornate nursing bras.  You can find them in some stores at the mall, but none of the ones rivaled my pre-pregnancy bra collection.  There are a few stores online offering really beautiful nursing bras that look like they came straight out of the Victoria’s Secret collection but the prices are usually pretty outrageous.  I couldn’t talk myself into buying one of those because of the cost.

So if you’re nursing right now and you find yourself grumbling every time you pull on your plain nursing bra, don’t worry.  The time will come – probably sooner than you realize – when you will own your breasts once again and can house them in any bra you wish.  Until then, be sure to use nursing pads so you don’t stain the plain bras you’re wearing nowadays.