Healthy Pregnancy

Are you wondering if health care legislation that includes provisions for breastfeeding is a good idea?  How do you feel about requiring businesses to accommodate mothers who want to pump at work? Consider the following:

Every year, more than 3 million mothers in America breastfeed. These provisions are good public policy for not only the baby and the mother, but also for the business community and our overall economy. Breastfeeding can improve more than 10% of the Healthy People 2020 health goals for the nation.

Promoting and increasing the rate of breastfeeding in the United States can provide upwards of $14 billion per year in cost savings related to just the treatment of several childhood illnesses seen in higher rates in those infants who are not breastfed. Research shows that breastfeeding lowers the baby‘s risk of infections, diarrhea, SIDS, obesity, diabetes, asthma, and childhood leukemia. A 2009 study of nearly 140,000 women found that women who breastfed for at least one year were 10-15% less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease compared to mothers who never breastfed. Breastfeeding also lowers the mother‘s risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis.

Companies providing lactation accommodations reap a 3 to 1 return on investment and can save hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on reduced health claims, lowered employee turnover, decreased absenteeism, and less money spent on recruitment and training of new employees. At the same time, The Business Case for Breastfeeding, a program created in 2008 by the Department of Health and Human Services, showed that employees whose com- panies provide breastfeeding support consistently report improved morale, better satisfaction with their jobs, and higher productivity.

Excerpt from the United States Lactation Consultant e-newsletter.

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

Nearly every new mother I see asks the question, “Is it ok for my baby to use a pacifier?” Here is the simple answer: Yes and no!

The concern addressed in that question is whether pacifier use will interfere with breastfeeding. I can say with confidence that I have never seen a baby prefer a pacifier over a breast filled with nummy milk! In addition, in over 20 years of helping resolve breastfeeding issues, I have never named the pacifier as the source of the problem.

Even though pacifiers are not necessarily the cause of breastfeeding difficulties, they should be used with caution—especially during the first few weeks of life. Newborns don’t necessarily know when they are hungry or thirsty. Thankfully, they don’t need to figure that out. All they know is they need to suck! Frequently! When that suckling is at the breast, it ensures that babies get plenty of milk and moms have an abundant milk supply.

Conversely, when a baby uses a pacifier to get her sucking needs met, there is a danger that she will not spend enough time at the breast. My primary concern about pacifier use is this: All that sucking requires energy. A baby worn out from sucking on a pacifier may not have the energy to obtain nourishment from the breast. In addition, she may “fool” her parents into thinking she is getting enough to eat, as she falls asleep while using a pacifier.

Occasional pacifier use for short periods of time will not likely interfere with breastfeeding. But keep in mind that a pacifier is a breast substitute and use with caution. If your newborn baby needs to suck, she probably needs to eat!

Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com

Inflammation is believed to be one of the root causes of many imbalances in the body. The stress of inflammation is indicated as a contributing factor in several infertility diagnosis including PCOS, endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage, poor sperm and egg quality. So it makes perfect sense that when you are ready to get pregnant, this diet can help to resolve any inflammatory responses in the body that could be preventing conception or impacting your health during pregnancy.

Even before tackling the dietary principles, it is important to take a close look at how stress may be impacting your life. It has been long known that cortisol, a stress hormone, is a leading cause of inflammation in the body. Choose activities that provide peace and relaxation each day can help to heal conditions of inflammation. This can be anything from a foot soak, a massage or even a funny movie at the end of the day. Something that helps you to unwind. Also, choose exercises you enjoy that replenish you, while detoxifying and reducing stress. Swimming, walking, dancing, yoga and gardening are all low impact exercises that get your blood flowing. One recent study on the benefits of stress reducing yoga has shown that a regular practice may have the capacity to reduce inflammation in the body, measured by C-reactive protein (CRP).

Along with stress reduction and gentle exercises consider adopting these anti-inflammatory dietary tips:

Avoid sugars and artificial sweeteners- especially in soda and processed candy

Limit caffeine, coffee (prefer green tea and herbal teas), alcohol, red meat, burnt food

Eat an abundance of colorful fresh fruits and vegetables for the bioflavanoids- especially dark leafy greens.

Cook with anti-inflammatory herbs or sprinkle on food: ginger and turmeric.

Consume a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water each day

Limit nightshades

Enjoy herbal Teas like Yogi detox, licorice, chamomile

Eat Omegas at every opportunity. Favor Omega 3’s and reduce omega 6 oils (corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil)

Foods containing a high ratio of omega 3 oil: Menhaden, salmon, cod liver, cod, shrimp, tuna, pink salmon, king crab, Mackerel, flax, flaxseed (sprinkled on salads or oatmeal in the morning) hemp, hemp nuts, canola, walnut, & pumpkin, pumpkin seeds.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

This young mother called me at the urging of a friend who already knew and trusted me. Breastfeeding was very important to Marissa, but she didn’t know how she could go on with so much pain. Normally, I would have seen this mom and baby in person. She lives in another city, however, and she felt most comfortable working with me. I gave her guidance over the phone several times over the course of a few weeks. Since her baby was gaining weight and she had a great milk supply, she just needed some minor adjustments to make breastfeeding comfortable.

After a few weeks of breastfeeding, I felt defeated. My nipples were cracked and bleeding. Each nursing was becoming more painful, and I was beginning to dread feeding my baby. After every feeding my son would spit up blood. I was beginning to accept this as my breastfeeding fate when I decided to call Renee. On the phone, she was able to describe in detail the way my son should be properly latching on. While we were talking, I could hold him in the positions she was describing to me, and get a complete visual understanding of how to get him to latch on properly. She also recommended that I visit her blog and watch a video of a baby getting a good latch. Within a day or two my nipples were healing, nursing was no longer painful, and I was able to finally enjoy these beautiful moments with my son.

Note: Lactation help in person is optimal for helping mom and baby breastfeed. It is often necessary in order to complete an accurate assessment. If Marissa’s pain had not quickly resolved after our phone conversation, I would have recommended lactation consultant in her area who could have helped her face to face.

You don’t have to live in Seattle to receive expert guidance from a lactation consultant. Renee is available for phone consultations for moms anywhere. You may reach her at www.second9months.com Send her an email and she’ll call you the same day to set up a “meeting.”