Disadvantages of Breastfeeding?

There are many sources for lists of the advantages (and disadvantages) of breastfeeding and artificial milk (formula) feeding. Yesterday we discussed many of the so called disadvantages and discovered that many are a state of mind. Here are some of the things we came up with:

What "they" say: Ties Mother down
Our take: Gives mother freedom to go anywhere with baby and doesn't require any extra equipment.


What "they" say: Father can't feed baby
Our take: There are many things a father can do and allows working fathers to get much needed sleep!


What "they" say: Makes babies too dependent/hard to wean.
Our take: Babies are dependent, they are babies. Babies, like adults, can learn and change.



What "they" say: Takes too long
Our take: Babies require attention, and should be held regardless of how they are fed!


What "they" say: Environmental pollutants are too high in breastmilk
Our take: The good still outweighs the bad & formula has been shown to have higher levels of heavy metals, phytoestrogens and badteria


What "they" say: Painful
Our take: Although some discomfort in the early days is to be expected, breastfeeding should not hurt! Despite this, many women do have trouble in the early weeks do to improper latch or other physical problems. Most mothers who encounter these problems find that making through this time is highly worth it!

Meeting Tomorrow!

Come at 10am for Series Meeting #1: The Importance of Breastfeeding
Nursing benefits for baby, mother, father, families and the world...
See you there!

Nutrition and Weaning

Thanks to Kathy for leading this Tuesday's series meeting on nutrition and weaning. She passed out index cards with myths about food and breastfeeding, such as "I love chocolate so I shouldn't breastfeed" and "My milk has turned green so I shouldn't nurse." (Green milk can be caused by mom drinking lots of lime Gatorade: watch out for food dyes!.) Another card was "I shouldn't eat onions and garlic when I'm nursing." The group talked about weaning, substitution, distraction, and nursing lying down.

For more information on nutrition in breastfeeding and weaning please visit La Leche League's website!
How do I wean my baby?
Are there any foods I should avoid while I'm breastfeeding?

Remember there is no Enrichment meeting this month! See you next time for Topic 1: The Importance of Breastfeeding on Tuesday, May 12th!

Yoga for Moms

Thanks to Rachel Vaden for presenting her yoga in pregnancy, labor & beyond. Tuesday's meeting was fun and informative. We learned that yoga can help your body & mind in pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Here is the 10-15 minute yoga routine that Rachel presented for pregnancy & beyond.

-Mountain
-Rocking
-Standing cat-cow
-Forward fold
-Downward facing dog
-Come down onto all fours
-Spinal balance
-Hip circles
-Puppy or child's pose
-Hip circles/figure 8 both sides
-Squat and kegels
-Seated straddle split
-Ankle circles & flex & point
-Butterfly
-Head to knee
-Sacral stabilizing, interlacing fingers reach up both sides
-Gentle sacral twist
-Switch sides & repeat
-Cross-legged &/or side lying position, choose breathing technique and mantra* or meditation to practice at least 5 min. If sitting, place blanket under sit bones for hip & low back support if needed.

Namaste

*Helpful mantras:
-My body is stronger and more flexible than I ever thought possible
-I surrender to the wisdom of my body
-My baby feels calm, peace & serenity
-(breathing in)Trust in your body, (breathing out)Surrender to the experience

Benefits of Yoga

Come to our enrichment meeting tomorrow at 10am and learn the benefits of yoga in labor, childbirth, postpartum & beyond! Don't forget to wear something comfortable & bring a towel to kneel on. Although tomorrow's meeting is not an official class, Rachel Vaden will be able to show us all some poses. See you there!

The Well Ordered Home

Tuesday's enrichment meeting was led by Kathy on the book The Well Ordered Home. We discussed many ways of making our homes more organized with children, or accepting the disorganization that can come along with having children!

Some quick clean up tips moms offered were:
*Putting useful items in active storage close to where you need and use them i.e. bathroom cleaners in bathroom, printer paper next to printer, etc.
*Using different colored expanding folders for kids paperwork
*Taking pictures of children's artwork instead of keeping originals
*Having under the bed storage bin for keepsakes/artwork children want to keep
*Using bins and trash cans in your vehicle
*Changing our expectations of what a clean home with children really is!

Next week is enrichment!

Tuesday the 24th! Don't miss "The Well Ordered Home"

Books For Sale

LLL of Sandy has quite a few books for sale. Please see the bottom of our blog for the list. If you want to purchase a book, contact Kathy Grossman at hkgrossman@gmail.com.

February Series Meeting

During this month's series meeting the first two concepts of LLL philosophy were discussed. Here is a look at the 10 Concepts of LLL Philosophy.

The ideals and principles of mothering which are the foundation of LLL beliefs are developed in THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING. This book has provided answers and inspiration for the rewarding and challenging job of parenting to several generations of mothers. LLL philosophy is summarized in the following ten concepts:

* Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby.
* Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying relationship and an adequate milk supply.
* In the early years, the baby has an intense need to be with his mother which is as basic as his need for food.
* Breast milk is the superior infant food.
* For the healthy, full-term baby, breast milk is the only food necessary until baby shows signs of needing solids, about the middle of the first year after birth.
* Ideally, the breastfeeding relationship will continue until the baby outgrows the need.
* Alert and active participation by the mother in childbirth is a help in getting breastfeeding off to a good start.
* Breastfeeding is enhanced and the nursing couple sustained by the loving support, help, and companionship of the baby’s father. A father’s unique relationship with his baby is an important element in the child’s development from early infancy.
* Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible.
* From infancy on, children need loving guidance which reflects acceptance of their capabilities and sensitivity to their feelings.

January Enrichment!

Winter & the Breastfeeding Family: Emergencies, stocking up, snow play & coping with cabin fever... Hope to see you Tuesday, January 27th!

The Importance of Breastfeeding

At this past Tuesday's meeting we discussed many facts about breastfeeding. Some of these facts included:
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of cancer in mother
Breastfeeding may reduce SIDS in baby
Breastfeeding helps mom lose "baby weight"
Breastfeeding helps lessen sickness and severity of sickness in baby
Breastfeeding creates strong bond between baby and mother
Breastfeeding helps mother read babies cues

Many moms shared their experiences with the three moms with newborns and another mother pregnant with baby number two. For more facts about breastfeeding visit the FAQ on La Leche League's website.

D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex)

FYI

December Series Meeting

Our Series meeting this month was Nutrition and Weaning led by Jen. We started out talking about our favorite winter/holiday treats which varied from clementines to toffee to pies and soups. Jen led us in talking about holiday simplifying. Comments ranged from spending holidays at home, cutting out travel, opting out of gift giving, and spreading out the celebrations.
We also discussed starting solids and went over LLLI's new tear off sheet about when and how to start solids. Jen encouraged us to openly share this information with our pediatricians. Here, from http://www.llli.org/FAQ/solids.html is what LLL says about starting solids.

When should my baby start solids?

Human milk is the only food that healthy, full-term babies need for about the first six months of life. The composition of human milk varies according to the time of day and the age of the baby, so that each mother provides the milk that meets her own baby's unique needs. Human milk provides immunity factors for as long as the baby nurses, and many of the health benefits of breastfeeding continue well into childhood and beyond.

Most solid foods are lower in calories than human milk, of lower nutritional value, and can be difficult for young babies to digest. Introduced early, they can cause unpleasant reactions and even trigger allergies. These problems can be avoided by waiting until your baby is ready for solids. Some parents have found introducing solids before baby is ready to be a waste of time, energy and money.

Breastfed babies do not need to have complementary food introduced until about the middle of the first year. Before that time, you will notice some signs that your baby is changing developmentally, in preparation for beginning solids in a few months. You will notice that:

* he becomes more sociable, playing and holding "conversations" with you during a nursing session
* he has a growth spurt and nurses more frequently for a while
* he imitates the chewing motions you make whilst eating -- he is practicing!

You will know that he is really ready to start solids when:

* he is about six months old
* he can sit up without any support
* he continues to be hungry despite more frequent nursing which is unrelated to illness or teething
* he has lost the tongue-thrusting reflex and does not push solids out of his mouth
* he can pick up things with his finger and thumb (pincer grasp)

Babies who are ready for solids can usually feed themselves. Mothers often report that they knew their babies were ready when they picked up food from a plate, chewed it, swallowed it, and wanted more.

Listen to your baby! Babies with a tendency to allergies may refuse solids until later in their first year. As long as they are growing well and are happy and healthy, there is no need for concern.

See you at the series meeting!

Tuesday, December 9 @ 10am
Nutrition and Weaning
Starting solids, family nutrition, extended nursing, approaches to weaning, loving guidance

NEW! NUEVO! La Importancia de Amamantar

Please spread the word! On April 28, 2009 Rocio Altamirano will lead our first meeting in Spanish, La Importancia de Amamantar (The Importance of Breastfeeding.)

Conversation with an IBCLC-certified Occupational Therapist

Vicki Brunstetter talked about her work as an IBCLC-certified Occupational Therapist with preemie babies and their families at University Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Some of her points were the following:

* It's important to help moms learn to hand express, but many don't want to touch their breasts.
* A major goal is to get babies colostrum.
* Finger feeding can cause some of the same problems as bottle feeding: hard surfaces, plastic smell, etc.
* Insurance dictates many options for pumps and length of NICU stays
* A major NICU goal is to get babies eating be it at breast or bottle.
* The U Hospital is VERY close (like maybe today or tomorrow) to being designated "Baby Friendly." This means no more free formula, no more formula-produced information sheets, and that moms have to sign forms to receive pacifiers that are locked up. They'll be the only hospital in Utah to be so designated.
* In Vicki's 16 years at this job, she's seen some major culture shifts favoring breastfeeding.
* Babies come to the U's NICU from Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and sometimes Arizona.
* The U Hospital has three nurseries: the 48-bed NICU, the Well Baby Nursery, and the "Step-up" nursery.
* The world needs more in-hospital lactation consultants.
* Moms can only stay with preemies in a chair next to their preemie in the NICU. There are a couple of beds in a separate room, but they tend to be reserved for moms getting ready to take their babies home.
* About 95% of the moms with preemies at U hospital deliver saying they're going to breastfeed, but they often have little or no information.
* Approximately half of the NICU preemies are delivered by WIC moms.

One thing this information teaches us is that getting breastfeeding support and information while pregnant is a MUST! Thank you to Vicki for coming and talking with us!

Upcoming Enrichment Meeting!

Come & join our conversation with Vicki Brunstetter, University Hospital NICU nurse! November 25th @ 10am

What Surprised You?

Jessica led this month's series meeting, The Art of Breast Feeding and Avoiding Difficulties. We started off going around the room and sharing things that had surprised us most about having a new baby. The first answer was frequency of nursing. This led to a discussion about a newborn's stomach capacity. Many mothers were able to share their experiences. Topics ranged from co-sleeping, nursing positions, breast health, and even birth practices. Jessica shared a descriptive narrative about taking a laboring dog to a store, putting her on display for the birth, giving her medications during delivery, and then limiting the time new puppies had to nurse, before taking them away from mom, washing them up and keeping them in another room, likening this to our current system of delivery and post birth practices.

The Art of Breastfeeding and Avoiding Difficulties

Don't miss our next series meeting! Tuesday, November 11th at 10:00 a.m.

Learning to parent with loving guidance

Leading her first meeting as a LLL leader, Timbra led this month's enrichment meeting. This was part two of How to Talk so Kids Will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk. We discussed alternatives to "no," labels, autonomy and ways to deal with & prevent temper tantrums. Here are a few excerpts from the outline Timbra put together and passed out.

Helping Children Deal with Their Feelings
The following are some quotes I believe will give an idea of the approach of this book
“When kids FEEL right, they behave right. How do we help them feel right? By accepting their feelings!”
“A steady denial of feelings can confuse and enrage children, teaching them not to know or trust their own feelings” (A great reference for why this emotional skill is SO important is Gavin DeBecker’s Protecting the Gift)
“Parents and children become increasingly hostile towards one another when feelings are denied”
Must I ALWAYS empathize? NO! don’t over dramatize a casual exchange, it’s negative emotions that require these skills
“Children don’t need to have their feelings agreed with, they need them acknowledged”
Is this approach too permissive? (acknowledgement of feelings) No, we’re only giving permission to have the feeling or emotion

Alternatives to Engage Cooperation (usual response v. alternative)
Scenario: Child leaves a wet towel on the bed (for the umpteenth time)
(What you usually say/do) “You always do this, and I have to sleep on wet sheets “
1. Describe what you see or the problem
Your WET towel is on my DRY sheets

2. Give info
When a wet towel is left on the bed, mommy has to sleep on damp sheets

3. Say it with A word
Alani, towel

4. Talk about YOUR feelings
I don’t like sleeping on wet sheets or cleaning up after you

5. Write a note
This can be very creative, poetic, from the perspective of the towel, but keep it simple
One boy said he liked notes best because “they don’t get any louder”

It’s important to be authentic (noticing a trend?)
Just because you don’t “get through” the first time, doesn’t mean you should revert to old ways

These are suggestions of PREVENTION, it’s better to head off the problem if you can foresee it will occur
“Prevention is better than the cure” it’s said
1. Point out ways to be helpful
2. Express STRONG disappointment (without character attacks)
3. State expectations (example: you know your child goes crazy every time you go to the grocery store)
4. Show child how to make amends
5. Give a choice
6. Take action
7. Allow child to experience natural consequence
8. 101 scenarios and responses


Alternatives to “NO!”
1. Give information
Can I go to Suzies?
No v. We’re having dinner in five minutes

2. Accept feelings
I don’t want to leave the zoo, can we stay longer?
No, we’re leaving RIGHT NOW v. It’s hard to leave a place when you’ve had such a great time, I can see that you’d really like to stay longer (as you gently lead the child out of the zoo)
~resistance may be lessened if you show understanding (this even works with toddlers. . I know, I’ve tried)

3. Describe the problem
Can you take me to the library now?
No, you have to wait v. I’d like to help, but I’ve got to wait on the cable guy, I can take you after

4. If possible, say YES instead of NO
Can we go to the park?
No, we’re eating lunch v. Yes, we can go right after we finish our lunch

5. Give yourself time to think
Can I sleep over and Sarah’s?
No, you slept there last weekend v. Let me think about it

It’s true “no” seems like a shorter response than the alternative, but considering the usual fallout with “no,” the “long way often ends up being the short way!