Thank you Jennifer!

Long time Sandy leader Jennifer Hermes has decided to retire.  La Leche League of Sandy is proud to say Jennifer was a leader for seven years.  Many mothers have benefited from Jennifer's knowledge and kind heart.  Many thanks to Jennifer for all she's done for LLL of Sandy, our leaders, members and visiting mothers. 

August 2010 Co-leaders Kathy, Jen and Jessica meet at Renee's house.

 Sandy Co-leaders Kathy, Jen, Jessica and Renee

Next Series Meeting

Will be #3: The Art of Breastfeeding & Avoiding DifficultiesThe normal course of breastfeeding, recognizing challenges, caring for yourself, getting support
on Tuesday, March 8, 2001 at 10am!

When will my baby sleep through the night?

This seems to be on every mothers mind.  If it's not our own worry it's that of friends, family and complete strangers!  Many mothers of even the smallest infants have been asked if their baby is sleeping through the night.  The real question is, "Should they be?"

The answer is not necessarily.   Especially if you have a newborn.  Breast milk is highly digestible and in the early weeks, your baby may not get enough nourishment if he sleeps through the night. Breastfed babies need to breastfeed at least eight to twelve times every 24 hours, usually every two to three hours. Most babies will gradually sleep for longer stretches at night, but they will continue to need night feedings for months.

You may have heard that giving your baby cereal will encourage sleeping longer at night. This simply isn't true. A baby's immature digestive system isn't ready for solid food until some time around the middle of the first year, and solids given too early may actually upset a baby's tummy. You will find information about this topic here.

Many mothers find that keeping baby close all night makes nighttime parenting less tiring. Throughout history, babies and mothers have traditionally slept close to each other. The idea that a baby belongs all alone in a crib is a fairly recent notion. Many have found "shared sleeping" or "the family bed" a good way to meet babies' nighttime needs with few interruptions to the parents' sleep. Rolling over to nurse your baby and drifting peacefully back to sleep is so much easier (and warmer in the winter!) than getting out of bed, going to the crib, sitting up to breastfeed the baby, and then struggling to get both of you back to sleep. This article discusses nighttime parenting.

Some authorities believe that parents need to teach babies to comfort themselves when they awaken at night, and some go as far as suggesting how long parents can allow a child to "cry it out" before responding. While such methods may work for some families, many other mothers and fathers have found peace in trusting their instincts and responding to their babies' cries. It helps to remember that babies' sleep cycles are very different from those of adults, and a young infant needs to awaken during the night in order to get enough nourishment.

Just like every adult has different sleep patterns, babies do too.  Parenting is a 24 hour per day job.  Remember to get rest when you can and know that your baby will sleep through the night when he is ready. 

*this post was in-part taken from FAQ on the LLLI website.  Please visit LLL's Frequently Asked Questions page for the answers to this and many other questions.

Raising Boys

Join us tomorrow 2/22/11 at 10am for our enrichment meeting on raising boys.  Enrichment meetings are open to all LLL members, but if this is a topic of interest to you please come and check it out!  Hope to see you there!

	Community of Grace Presbyterian Church 2015 E Newcastle Drive (8890 South) Sandy, UT

IRS Decision a Victory for Nursing Mothers Everywhere

IRS Decision a Victory for Nursing Mothers Everywhere

Breastfeeding Equipment to be Allowed as Medical Tax Deduction and Reimbursed by Flexible Health Spending Accounts

Washington, D.C. - In response to a request from Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Representatives Sander Levin (D-MI) and Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced they will reverse a ruling that denies equipment used to help women breast feed from being covered as a health care expense.  The previous ruling excluded breast pumps from coverage under flexible health spending accounts and made them non-deductible on tax returns.

Merkley, Harkin, Levin, and Maloney wrote to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman in November to call for the decision to be reversed.  Senators Merkley and Harkin were joined by 9 other Senators; 32 other House members joined Reps. Levin and Maloney.

In response to today's decision, Senators Merkley and Harkin and Reps. Levin and Maloney released the following statement:

"Today's decision is a huge victory for nursing mothers everywhere.  Modern medicine has documented numerous health benefits linked to breastfeeding, including a reduced risk of illness in infants and a reduced risk of cancer in mothers.  And because breastfeeding is so effective in preventing disease, it also happens to save billions in health care costs.  We thank the IRS for their careful consideration and quick response."

A PDF of the complete House members' letter to Commissioner Shulman can be found here; the Senate version is here. (They are identical.)

Additional Background

A tax ruling by the IRS last year disallowed breast pumps and other breastfeeding supplies as medical deductions, thus also excluding them as permissible expenses under flexible health spending accounts.

Rep. Maloney and Sen. Merkley secured a provision in health care reforms passed earlier this year that employers of hourly workers are be required to provide breastfeeding employees with "reasonable break time" and a private, non-bathroom place to express breast milk during the workday, up until the child's first birthday. 

Breastfeeding is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization for all children under six months.

Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace; fully 43 states and the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have laws which allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location.

View the list and more at the National Conference of State Legislatures:  http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/Health/BreastfeedingLaws/tabid/14389/Default.aspx

Breast Milk Donation Center now in Utah!

The Salt Lake Mothers’ Milk Donation Center serves as a screening and collection site for the non-profit Mothers’ Milk Bank in Denver, Colorado. Local nursing mothers wishing to donate excess milk can visit the Center to volunteer as donors. For more information please visit The Salt Lake Mothers’ Milk Donation Center.

Come to our next series meeting!

This coming Tuesday is Series meeting #2: Baby Arrives: The Family and the Breastfed Baby
Preparing for birth, getting nursing off to a good start, and establishing nursing in the early weeks
February 8, 2010


As always, our meetings are open to all interested women and any babies or children who need them.  Come talk about getting breastfeeding off to a good start and ask any questions you might have!  See you Tuesday!

WHO on Breastfeeding

The World Health Organization states,
"Breastfeeding is the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Virtually all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have accurate information, and the support of their family, the health care system and society at large.
Colostrum, the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy, is recommended by WHO as the perfect food for the newborn, and feeding should be initiated within the first hour after birth.
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond."

Benefits of Extended Nursing

Toddlers breastfeed for many of the same reasons infants breastfeed: for nutrition, comfort, security, for a way to calm down and for reassurance. Mothers breastfeed their toddlers for many of the same reasons they breastfeed their infants: they recognize their children's needs, they enjoy the closeness, they want to offer comfort, and they understand the health benefits. (See the FAQ, "What are the Benefits of Breastfeeding My Baby?" for more information.) The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child.." * The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend that babies be breastfed for at least two years.
Breastfeeding a toddler helps with the child's ability to mature. Although some experts say a toddler who is not weaned will have difficulty becoming independent, it's usually the fearful, clingy children that have been pushed into situations requiring too much independence too soon. A breastfeeding toddler is having his dependency needs met. The closeness and availability of the mother through breastfeeding is one of the best ways to help toddlers grow emotionally.
Breastfeeding can help a toddler understand discipline as well. Discipline is teaching a child about what is right and good, not punishment for normal toddler behavior. To help a toddler with discipline, he needs to feel good about himself and his world. Breastfeeding helps a toddler feel good about himself, because his needs are being met.
Just as babies do, toddlers receive health benefits from breastfeeding. Your milk continues to provide immunities and vitamins, and can help protect your toddler from illness and allergies. If your toddler does get sick, nursing will help comfort him. In fact, a toddler with an upset stomach may be able to tolerate nothing but human milk.
Toddlers have a huge world to explore, and breastfeeding provides them (and their mothers!) with some quiet time in their busy, waking hours.


*See "Breastfeeding and Use of Human Milk" in PEDIATRICS Vol. 115 No. 2 February 2005, pp. 496-506 


For this and more information on breastfeeding click here!

Call to Action

The US Surgeon General's Breastfeeding Call to Action was released this morning.  Read it here!

Breastfeeding Today

Learn about Laid Back Breastfeeding in this issue of Breastfeeding Today!

Series Meeting Tomorrow

Join us for Series meeting #1: The Importance of Breastfeeding
This meeting is about breastfeeding benefits for baby, mother, father, families and the world!  As always, all interested women are welcome.  Any babies or young children who need you are also welcome! 

See you tomorrow, January 11, 2011at 10am for our first meeting of the new year!

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.

For this and more information on starting solids visit the LLLI website's resource on starting solids.

Next Series Meeting

Hope to see you Tuesday, December 14 at 10am for series meeting 4: Nutrition and Weaning.  We will cover some of the following topics as well as any questions or concerns you may have: starting solids, family nutrition, enjoying extended nursing, weaning naturally, and practicing loving guidance.  LLL meetings are open to all interested women and their babies and children who need them.  See you Tuesday!

New Beginnings

Please enjoy this issue of LLL's magazine, New Beginnings!
NB_Issue_1_10_FINALZmags.pdf

Breastfeeding Today

Enjoy this publication of Breastfeeding Today!

Series Meeting Tomorrow

Tomorrow, November 9, 2010 Series meeting #3: The Art of Breastfeeding & Avoiding Difficulties;The normal course of breastfeeding, recognizing challenges, caring for yourself, and getting support.
 
As always, our meetings are free to all interested women and any babies or children who need them.  Hope to see you there!

LLL of Sandy is on Facebook

Don't forget to follow LLL of Sandy on Facebook for current meeting topics, breastfeeding information and more!

The 10 Easy Reasons to Breastfeed

Baby's whole body and brain benefit immensely.
Release for mother hormonally causing calmer feelings.
Easier digestion for baby than formula.
Available fresh instantly for hungry baby.
Soothing for a crying baby.
Treasure of a lifetime bond with your child.
Free (cheaper than formula by a long shot)!
Effortless pregnancy weight loss.
Enhanced poop smells better than formula-fed babies (until solids start!).
Decreased risk of SIDS than formula-fed babies.

From NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 23 No. 5, September-October 2006, p. 204

Did you know?

Did you know that many of your breastfeeding questions can be answered with a click of your mouse? Check out these wonderful Breastfeeding Answers pages from llli.org! For instance did you know that human milk contains anti-infective properties?

Human Milk Has Anti-Infective Properties

Breastfeeding mothers often notice that their children are sick less often than children who aren't breastfed. Human milk provides different kinds of defense against disease, including secretory antibodies against specific pathogens. It also contains lactoferrin, which not only is the source of iron for breastfed infants, but also appears to have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Other components in human milk protect infants on a molecular level because their actual shape hinders certain pathogen's access to the infant.

Because human milk has protective qualities, infants who are not breastfed have more emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and treatments with antibiotics. The protective effects extend beyond weaning. (See the table below.)

Human milk offers immunological protection against many chronic diseases. According to Outcomes of Breastfeeding versus Formula Feeding, compiled by Ginna Wall, MN, IBCLC, and Jon Ahrendsen, MD, FAAFP, human milk feeding is associated with less risk of the following diseases: celiac disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, sudden infant death syndrome, childhood cancer, autoimmune thyroid disease, appendicitis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, helicobacter pylori infection (associated with gastric ulcers), Crohn's disease, colitis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, tonsillitis, allergies, atopic disease, and asthma. (This comprehensive report can be found at www.lalecheleague.org/docs/Outcomes_of_breastfeeding_June_2007.pdf *.)

The mechanism of these apparent long-term immunologic benefits remains unclear, although theories abound. Human milk contains bioactive components that enhance the growth and development of the human infant.

One gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinine (CCK) signals sedation and a feeling of satiation and well-being. During suckling, CCK release in both mother and infant produces a sleepy feeling. The infant's CCK level peaks twice after suckling. The first peak occurs immediately after the feeding. It peaks again 30 to 60 minutes later. The first CCK rise is probably induced by suckling; the second by the presence of milk in the GI tract. The drop of infant CCK levels 10 minutes after a feeding implies a "window" within which the infant can be awakened to feed from the second breast or to reattach to the first side for additional fat-rich milk. Waiting 30 minutes after the feeding before laying the baby down takes advantage of the second CCK peak to help the infant to stay asleep.

* This link updated in May, 2007