Natural Parenting » Breastfeeding-Extended

ABC News Video: Formula Samples Undermine Breastfeeding

Natural Parenting — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:16:29 +0000

Breastfeeding advocates have long known that free formula samples undermine exclusive breastfeeding by giving tired, frustrated mothers an easy out in the first few weeks of breastfeeding. Formula manufacturers have long known the same thing and they know that they best way to get mothers and babies hooked on the formula cycle is to offer free samples in the hospital in the form of “gift bags”.

Lactivists and the formula companies may know it all too well, but unsuspecting new mothers believe they are simply getting a “perk” for delivering in the hospital. Forego the goody bag if you are a new mom because every sip of formula will alter your baby’s latch and reduce your own milk supply. Leave it at the hospital or dump it down the drain if feel inclined but whatever you do, don’t bring it home.

Watch the video: Mixed Messages Discourage Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and IQ

Natural Parenting — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:45:46 +0000

There are plenty of completed studies that link breastfeeding to higher intelligence levels in children. The studies have usually compared women who choose to breastfeed vs. those who choose formula which create additional questions, such as whether it is the breastmilk or other factors that are increasing the child’s IQ. Breastfeeding mothers may be more likely to avoid TV, read and spend quality time with their children for example. A new study adjusts for these factors and studied the IQ of children whose mothers went to clinics that either encouraged breastfeeding or did not. The mothers who were encouraged to breastfeed, had higher rates of breastfeeding at 3 months and 1 year and guess what? The kids were smarter. Read more at cyberhousewife.com

Breastfeeding on Demand - 2 Videos

naturalparenting — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 19:20:57 +0000

If you are a proud supporter of breastfeeding, then these are a couple of great videos to watch. They are, admittedly, a bit more extreme than most breastfeeding families you may know, but they still underscore the important role breastfeeding plays in bonding and child development. It seems that while the videos cover the basics of attachment parenting, breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding, they seem to mock the ideas in a sense. The bit about elimination communication, for example, which is an increasingly common practice in attachment parenting households, was extreme and misleading. I EC‘d my daughter with great success and never once, did I ever have poo on my floor. It is really ridiculous (not to mention disgusting). Needless to say, they are still great attachment parenting videos.

Breastfeeding Support for New Moms

naturalparenting — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:33:08 +0000

Breastfeeding moms are generally eager to share their expertise with other mothers. A group of them at the mall or local playground can be heard giving advice on breast pumps, formula feeding, caloric intake and good nursing bras. Nursing moms will step in to offer breastfeeding support to new moms who are struggling with breastfeeding their infant.

If you are looking for advice about breastfeeding- a nursing mom may be your best source of information. Experience is the best teacher and a nursing mother can tell you all of the intimate details about breastfeeding.

While a lactation consultant will provide a wealth of facts and statistics, a nursing mom will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding, without the sugar coating. Another source of support is the internet. Baby websites can be a great way to connect with other moms and get some great tips and facts about breast feeding. Baby websites offer discussion forums, caloric intake calculators, nutrition information and inside tips for nursing moms.

Consulting a few baby websites can be another great way to connect with other moms who have first hand knowledge of the ins and outs of breastfeeding.If you are looking for information about nutrition, you can consult a breastfeeding specialist, lactation consultant or nurse practitioners. They can even help you develop a personalized eating plan that is healthy for both you and your baby.

Many breastfeeding moms worry about losing pregnancy weight while still consuming enough calories to keep their infants healthy. It is possible to balance proper nutrition, breastfeeding and weight loss with a little advanced planning and effort.

Consulting a nutritionist or health care provider can help you sort through any confusion you may have regarding nutrition, breast feeding and weight loss.When breastfeeding women band together, loneliness and isolation dissipate. Sharing friendship with others alike can help a first time mother adjust to her new role without sacrificing her personal identity. The stories, advice and support offered to new mothers by other breastfeeding women can be invaluable.

Joining a breastfeeding advocacy group will provide you with access to newsletters, health fairs and a wealth of information about breastfeeding. A breastfeeding advocacy group helps to promote its awareness and support in your community. Contact your local La Leche League representative for information about joining a breastfeeding advocacy group in your area. Breastfeeding moms don’t have to suffer alone. There are many women (and men) who are waiting to offer support, friendship and advice. The bond between nursing mothers is special and often results in friendships that last a lifetime. Other mothers will understand your struggles because often times they have experienced them too.

by Mike Selvon
About the Author: Breastfeeding is an important aspect of your new born baby. Mike Selvon’s portal has more information about breastfeeding moms. Visit our portal and leave a comment at our breast feeding blog.

Buy the Book: Nursing Mother’s Herbal

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/whappen/2493328529/

Nursing Babies: How Old Is Too Old?

naturalparenting — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 02:51:05 +0000

Nursing babies are a beautiful sight. Many mothers fall in love with their children as they watch them suckle and drift contentedly off to sleep. Babies are happiest while in their mother’s arms. While few would argue that nursing babies are adorable, what’s to be done with a toddler who stomps their foot in defiance and demands to be nursed right now? How old is too old to be breast fed?

Choosing to breastfeed your baby may have been a simple decision but determining when to wean a child can be difficult. When many mothers begin to breastfeed their babies, they assume that weaning will occur naturally. For some breast fed babies, the transition from the breast to the cup comes with a fight.

Nursing babies who have a difficult time adjusting to life away from the breast may be objecting to more than just weaning. Some breast fed babies crave the physical closeness of nursing more than breast milk. Determining if this is true for your child can help make the transition easier for both mother and child. Continuing to hold your child during feedings can help reduce the shock of weaning for a sensitive child.

While the appropriate age to wean a child is not set in stone, it is culturally acceptable in America to nurse a child for the first twelve months even though it is preposterous to assume that the benefits of breastfeeding suddenly end at 12 months of age.. Once solid foods are introduced into the child’s diet and they begin to walk, American customs call for the weaning of the child.

Some breast feeding women choose to extend this period of nursing, sometimes until the child leaves for kindergarten. While many of them wean their babies shortly before returning to the workforce, some continue to pump breast milk and bottle feed their babies for several years.

The choice really is up to each woman and many choose to ignore social norms. Breast feeding women can even choose to keep their extended breastfeeding a secret by storing breast milk in the refrigerator disguised as cow’s milk or formula.

When a mother decides to stop breastfeeding, she can feel a sense of loss and sadness as a chapter of her baby’s life comes to a close. Sensing this unhappiness in the mother, a child can exhibit fussiness and tantrums during a mother’s attempts to stop breastfeeding.

Before attempting to stop breastfeeding, a nursing mother must come to grips with any unresolved feelings she may be experiencing about weaning her child.

Mothers who choose to formula feed a nursing infant can be in for a fight unless the transition is made slowly. Abruptly springing a formula feed schedule in place of breast feeding sessions can be traumatic to nursing babies. The bottle should be introduced slowly and be filled with 100% breast milk at first.

Formula can be slowly added to subsequent bottles of breast milk until the child is completely weaned from the breast. Gradually substitute a breast feeding session with a bottle feeding session over a period of several weeks if possible.

Once a child is accustomed to the 100% formula feed schedule, the mother should continue to provide physical interaction with the baby during bottle feeding sessions to continue bonding and provide intense social interaction for the child.

Nursing babies can transition smoothly to the bottle or sippy cup if a nursing mother is emotionally prepared to wean her baby. Armed with a few facts, mothers can help nursing babies adjust smoothly to being away from the breast.

Not all nursing babies will be pleasant to nurse as they grow to be demanding toddlers. Each woman must decide for herself when her child needs to stop breastfeeding.

by Mike Selvon
About the Author: Breast feeding is an important aspect of your new born baby. Mike Selvon’s portal has more information about nursing babies. Visit our portal and leave a comment at our breastfeeding blog.

Buy the book: Mothering Your Nursing Toddler

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/2257231978/