Allyson Lux

I am a single mom to the most amazing little boy in the entire world. He is the light of my life! We also have the two sweetest doggies who complete our little family. I am a high school teacher and a photographer, and am very passionate about breastfeeding, babywearing, attachment parenting, and raising my son in the most natural way possible!

www.myluxphotography.wix.com/home

The post My Favorite Things: Breastfeeding Must-Haves appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

So, I had asked a few mamas to share photos of themselves (in or out of uniform) and sharing their stories and experiences.

I got out of the Navy in June of this past year. I was blessed with such an amazing environment and leadership that I was able to breastfeed my first child until he was 2.5 and in turn tandem nurse with my daughter. Neither of my children would take a bottle, so pumping just didn’t work for us. To keep this short, I ended up having a “wet-nurse” and nursed on lunch breaks to get us through. You can read about that journey here. But knowing that many moms have struggles, whether it be in the beginning or the entire time; it may be quite different for our military moms.

So, this post is to honor our military mamas. Even if your photo/quote isn’t featured, this is still for you!

“I was very glad that the Navy had an actual policy to protect nursing mother’s while on active service. Pumping was a pain, and I did it religiously with my oldest. I was determined to give him breastmilk, despite having to go back to work.”  – –

Rocky Rozhanskiy, US Navy Veteran

“Breastfeeding and pumping while in the USCG had its struggles. We didn’t always have the proper places to pump and store. But we made due. Even now, still nursing #3, 5 years later, I’m happy for those struggles. It’s what pushed me to exclusively breastfeed; despite the stigma surrounding working moms.”

– – – Jennifer Burman, US Coast Guard Veteran and Beauty and Lifestyle Magazine Bog Contributor

“Being a first time mom is hard. Being a first time mom with no family around is even harder. 6 weeks off, stitches are still healing, the weight is still packed on and the thought of a normal life again is behind me! I returned to work after having six incredible weeks off with my first born.

Day one consisted of figuring out where to pump at work. We were put in a storage closet about the size of an airplane restroom. In 2014 (the year my son was born), the Navy released an updated breastfeeding policy but many seemed to be uncomfortable about the subject. After day one, I knew that it was unacceptable to be producing my child’s food in that storage closet. I brought it up the chain of command and presented the updated instruction. “Must have running water accessible (not a restroom) and given privacy”! My main focus was getting us out of a hazmat locker, that’s literally what it was.

In the meeting with my COC, an E8 told me, “well why can’t you just do it in the restroom?” I wasn’t sure if he was joking or being serious, this man was very hard to read. So, I responded with, “why don’t you eat your lunch in the restroom senior chief?” I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but it got the point across.

Over the next few months there was a lot of progress but it took blood, sweat and tears to get there. A lot of our COC asked why we couldn’t just go pump in the hospital, it had a space nicer than any other lactation room on base.

But we have to work, simple as that.

Taking 10 minutes to drive to the designated location, park, walk to the room on the third floor, set up, get a let down, make sure to pump until I’m empty, break down everything, label and sanitize my area, walk back to my vehicle and then drive back to work. Oh, don’t let me forget to add that we have to do that about 2-3 times during the work day. “Must be allowed 20-30 minutes 2 to 3 times a day”, that evolution adds up to way more than 20-30 minutes when you want us to pump in a different building.

So, after putting up a good fight, they ended up designating us our own room. Two decking chairs, privacy, sink, outlets and more. It wasn’t a 5 star room but it was definitely better than what we had. When my son was 3 1/2 months old, he started getting teeth, lord help me. He would bite and bite and bite when he nursed so eventually, I stopped nursing. I began exclusively pumping when he was 4 months old; till he was 10 1/2 months old. It was tough to say the least. Fitting my pump schedule around school, work, watches, taking care of Landon, while still trying to have a social life made me extremely depressed. I felt trapped but I knew what I was doing was worth it.

Fast forward to three years later. We are still dealing with difficulties creating lactation rooms for mothers, but the navy is doing their best. It is a sensitive and awkward subject for a lot of people, especially men. I believe that providing training on the issue and helping educate the leaders in our fleet that will be dealing with pregnant women, will help beyond our expectations.

– – – Andrea Nicole, US Navy, Logistics Specialist Second Class

“Being a mother requires far more sacrifice than you can ever imagine. Now, add being an active duty mother, and the virtue of motherhood can completely overwhelm you.  Breastfeeding my three children hasn’t always been easy.  I’ve pumped in locker rooms, bathrooms, and sometimes in my car.  My supply has fluctuated; I’ve gotten engorged, due to not having enough time to pump. And, I’ve cried countless times in feeling as though I am not enough as a mother.  Education for nursing/pumping moms wasn’t advocated as much as it has been within the most recent years, and although I was only able to nurse my first 2 sons until they were 6 months old,  through education and support I was able to nurse my 3rd son until he was 18 months old.”

– – LT Maria Relayo, US Navy, Aviation Ordnance

Photo captured by: Haley Nicole Photography https://www.facebook.com/haleynicolephotos/ @haleynicolesphotos

“Seeing this photo gave me all the feels. I didn’t breastfeed as long as I wanted with my first because I was on the flightline. I didn’t have the time or energy to make it back to the hangar to pump when I needed to. So, transitioning to formula was what worked for us. But here I am, 6 years later, as a veteran; waiting for my active duty husband to come back from deployment, breastfeeding my one year old daughter in the hangar bay. And, I really am just SO thankful that we made it this far in our breastfeeding journey. I am so happy I have this image to look back on and remind me of all the obstacles I overcame to get here. “

– – Raquel Renteria, US Navy Veteran

“I have served for 8 years thus far in the US Army Reserves and have had two daughters during that time. Both of my daughters nursed, so I knew I was going to have to pump during work and drill weekends.

Initially, my experience was awful, which I was fearful of. I drilled with a unit that I was not a part of. I was more or less visiting, due to being a new area. At first, I was promised a private place with a locked door for me to pump. That promise was not kept. I found myself in a small bathroom with no lock on the door and an extension cord running from down the hallway into the bathroom.

I felt ashamed; because I should have said or done something.

Yet, the next day I found myself pumping in my car on a cold, snowy day. I didn’t go back and drill with that unit after my experience. A month or so later, I made it clear that there were policies and laws broken and that is why I no longer wanted to be apart of their unit. I never received a response back. Months later, I discovered a new unit that had just “stood up” and they were very accommodating to me from the get go and never once gave me a hard time. I was excused from ranges and field training while I pumped, since there was no way to store my pumped milk.

With my second daughter, I had no issues because I was still with the unit that provided me what I needed. I believe the Military, as a whole, needs to work on accommodating service women with their needs when it comes to nursing, pumping and maternity leave. There are both federal and state laws that supposedly “don’t need to be followed because it’s the Military”, so I have been told.

That first unit that I was with when I had just started pumping, was made up of mostly older men, who probably had never been in that type of situation before, or who may have never had a soldier ask that question; but that is no excuse. If a woman choses to use a restroom, that is her choice. But no woman should be made to use a restroom, especially in fear of reprisal, which was my situation.

I hope my story helps others and doesn’t allow the Military to tell a mother that they can’t feed their child in the best way they think possible. Many women in the service don’t nurse or pump because it’s just too much of a hassle while in uniform. That just seems so wrong to me. However we chose to nurture and feed our babies is our right and our choice, no one else’s.”

– – Molly Taber, US Army Reservist, Automated Logistics Specialist SGT

And this is me, nursing my daughter on my last day in the Navy. 

The military life isn’t easy. And being a mom in the military doesn’t make it any easier. But we do the best we can, while providing all of what we can, for our kids. Even if it means making sacrifices for ourselves, or in other areas, to make sure we can do what is best for the babies. Thank you to those who have served, are serving, and will serve.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts and be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

Abigail Dougherty

A 27 year old from Wisconsin but currently stationed in California with a happy marriage and two rainbow babies. Abigail is currently in the Navy and is also a certified personal trainer. I am a kinesiology major who plans to use her knowledge to help her do more in the fitness industry. She’s a breastfeeding, cloth diapering, essential oil using, gym freak, babywearing, kind of mom. Abigail loves empowering and encouraging women to be who they are and to take pride in that.

The post Honoring Our Military Breastfeeding Mamas appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

The Doctors induced me at 36 weeks because of my daughter’s diagonosis with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). She was born 40 hours later via emergency c-section at 3.5 lbs. Perfectly healthy, just small. Due to her size, she spent 14 days in the NICU. So the situation left me stuck exclusively pumping, scared to even try breastfeeding. Once released from the hospital, I slowly introduced the breast, hoping that my daughter would latch easily. With only a couple of exhausting tries, my little one finally latched and gulped! Our journey began and is still going strong 6 months later!

My biggest challenge with breastfeeding has been managing it while I work

As an Active Duty Officer in the Army, I have to force myself to make time to pump. The operation tempo at my current duty station leaves little wiggle room for me to sit down and pump without interruptions. I felt so apprehensive when I went back to work, but even more so, when I went to the field for a week. I was extremely anxious before I left, trying to figure out how I would manage the work load, making time to pump, and storing my milk in a safe and sterile manner.

Initially, when I brought it up to my supervisor, he blew off the topic. Basically, he told me that I needed to figure it out.

However, I knew the regulation and that they had to accommodate breastfeeding moms so I didn’t allow this to be the final answer

After continuing to pressure my supervisor, he told me that I should have a stash for my little one (I already did) for the week I worked. Although my supervisor is a medical provider and most likely knew, I made it clear that I still needed to pump and store the milk. After more of this back and forth conversing, I decided I would take matters into my own hands.

In the end, I coordinated with my husband to pick up milk once a day. Luckily, he is military as well and worked just down the road from my field site. I stored milk in a cooler (trust the Yeti) with ice packs (lucky for me, it was also freezing outside). And I pumped in my HMMWV every 4-5 hours. I made it work because it was a priority to me, even if it wasn’t to anyone else.

Working full-time in the Army makes it difficult to breastfeed, especially when you have a supervisor who is not fully on board

From the beginning of my pregnancy, I had issues with my supervisors recognizing that I was actually pregnant. I went to the field until I was 7 months pregnant. I wasn’t allowed to leave after the maximum “8 hour” working day. Event though it’s outlined in Army regulation. When I did try to adhere to the “8 hour” days, they called me back for pointless meetings or formations.

Bottom line up front (BLUF): if you don’t have a supervisor who is willing to advocate for you, take matters into your own hands!

I am still writing my breastfeeding story because I put my foot down

It’s not easy, but my daughter is definitely worth it! Although work will always keep me busy, it is important to me that my daughter receives the best. If I can give it to her myself, then I will continue to do so!

Lindsay Martin

Lindsay Martin joined the Army in 2015 and currently works as a Medical Service Officer on Fort Bragg, NC. She lives in Broadway, NC with her husband Keith and daughter Tatum.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts and be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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admin

A photography project founded in late 2014 by Alexia Garcia, photographer a Alegares Photography. Breastfeeding World aims to promote breastfeeding and encourage new moms to nurse their babies through the art of photography and story telling.

The post Army Moms Who Make Breastfeeding Work- Lindsay Martin Guest Post appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

1. Boob produces milk
2. Baby drinks from boob

So simple even my 5 year old gets it- (Photo Cred:Quite Dandy Photography)

Easy peasy lemon squeezy, right? But when you are not “the one with boobs”, handling that liquid gold gets a little more complicated. Because let’s be honest here- no one wants to be the one to tell a pumping mom that they are the one who spoiled the breast milk.

Now that’s something to cry over!

So here are few tips, tricks and rules to handling breast-milk, for the un-initiated boob supporter and care provider.

But first, a note from the CDC:

Safely Preparing and Storing Expressed Breastmilk

• Be sure to wash your hands before expressing or handling breastmilk.

• When collecting milk, be sure to store it in clean containers, such as screw cap bottles, hard plastic cups with tight caps, or heavy-duty bags that fit directly into nursery bottles. Avoid using ordinary plastic storage bags or formula bottle bags, as these could easily leak or spill.

• If delivering breastmilk to a child care provider, clearly label the container with the child’s name and date.

• Clearly label the milk with the date it was expressed to facilitate using the oldest milk first.

• Do not add fresh milk to already frozen milk within a storage container. It is best not to mix the two.

• Do not save milk from a used bottle for use at another feeding.

• Clean breast pump parts after each use. Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) web site on Cleaning a Breast Pump for additional information.

Now that we have reviewed the safety guidelines for handling breast-milk, here is a list of my tried-and-true hacks for handling breastmilk as a family daycare provider.

1. Watch the clock.

Know approximately how long your little one eats between feedings, so that you’re not frantically trying to heat breastmilk with a screaming and frantic infant in your arms. Just as if baby was eating “from tap,” it is important to watch hunger cues, and know approximately when baby may be hungry next.

2. Use your Keurig to warm the milk!

As a daycare provider, with 7 children to watch, I needed an efficient way to warm my Little’s pumped milk, quickly. And, well, I rely on my keruig for my own person liquid gold, so… a hot water bath for pumped milk it is! Quick, easy, and no extra steps! I should add, my milky daycare mama used her reusable Medela bottles that came through insurance, and the temperature was always right. If you’re using milk from a disposable bag, please make sure not to let it overheat. I’ve also seen daycares which leave a crockpot on low filled with water for instant warm water baths for their breastfed babies. Whatever you do, please don’t microwave that milk! Referencing the La Leche League:

“Do not heat… milk in a stove or a microwave oven” states LLLI’s THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, 7th Revised Edition, 2004 on page 122. Warming your stored milk in the microwave causes it to heat unevenly, creating “hot spots” that may burn your baby’s mouth. Furthermore, valuable immunological components can be destroyed if the milk gets too hot (p. 158).

3. Wash your pump and replace parts regularly

It sounds more common sense on paper than it is in practice. Let’s face it- working, breastfeeding moms are TIRED. Sometimes the common sense stuff slips our brains. If you’re lucky, some insurance providers replace parts regularly. But either way, make sure you take home your pump on the weekends to give it a good scrub, and sanitize. One of my daycare mama’s and I realized that her milk was getting a “smell” to it. It didn’t seem to bother her little one, but it was certainly noticeable. We discussed lipase and some other options as to what we thought the cause was. Then it clicked. “When was the last time you’ve washed your pump and replaced your parts?” I asked her.

The smell never came back after that.

4. Test the temperature before you feed baby- on your hand

Common myth says to test the temperature of milk before feeding by dribbling a few drops on your wrist. However, your wrist is not a sensitive part of your body for testing warmth! Instead, spill a couple drops of milk onto your hand, which is a better indicator. The milk should be body-to-luke-warm.

Good luck to you, breastmilk-handlers! Keep those babies happy and healthy- and whatever you do, don’t spill that liquid gold!

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Lauren Lewis

Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

www.raisinglaurenslittle.wordpress.com

The post What Do You Need To Know About Handling Breastmilk? appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Whether marchers had supported one side or the other in the United State’s 45th Presidential election last November. participants in the 2017 Women’s March on Washington marched for far more than the results of the polls. Women, men, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, gathered and marched in their respective cities for more than one cause, the underlying being basic women’s rights as describe in the Unity Principle:

We believe that Women’s Rights are Human Rights and Human Rights are Women’s Rights. We must create a society in which women – including Black women, Native women, poor women, immigrant women, disabled women, Muslim women, lesbian queer and trans women – are free and able to care for and nurture their families, however they are formed, in safe and healthy environments free from structural impediments.”

Those who gathered, gathered to end violence. They gathered to support reproductive, LGBTQIA, worker’s, civil, disability and  immigrant rights. They gathered to advocate for environmental justice. While social media and news casts flooded screens with images of marchers and their signs flooding the streets of the largest cities, images that struck chords with those watching were of mothers, breastfeeding, pumping and carrying kids in tow.

Here are some of our favorite moms from Saturday’s March

Moms who breastfed

Moms like Sydney, who struck a chord with those around her.

I see mamas breastfeeding in public spaces a lot. It’s a beautiful thing, but watching it happen during the Women’s March brought tears to my eyes. Sydney and her family flew the red eye from LA on Saturday to attend the Women’s March on Washington. As I was sitting next to her, I couldn’t help but feel extra emotional. I almost couldn’t hold it in. THIS IS WHY WE MARCH. For choice, for equality, for the future, for the betterment of humanity. Thank you Sydney, for allowing me to capture this.”

@yowzafrow

Moms like Miranda, with her daughter Juniper, who took a break from the march.

#WhyImarch”

Photo credit: Nicole Juarez

Moms like Kelly, who bumped into another mom on the same feeding schedule.

2 moms who ran into each other while feeding their babies at the Women’s March.”

@baby.mama.kellz

Moms who Pumped

Moms like Celia, who came with signs showing their support for ACA and fundamental rights.

Our signs at the #chicago Women’s March this morning – Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights ?? I pumped three bottles to make it to the march today!”

@chicagojogger

Moms like Kelly pumped during the March with smiles.

because 80% of our lawmakers have no idea what this feels like”

-@kelly_Seeds

Moms like Lauren, who did their part, even through the rain. 

When you gotta pump and fight for human rights at the same time ?”

 @statera_pax

Moms who prepped before and after

Moms like Triathlete Margaret, with her little, who one hydrated before their march in Portland.

On the way to #womensmarchpdx #publicbreastfeeding#normalizebreastfeeding“

@vegmargaret

After their march, moms like Heidi and her little one refreshed from their walk.

Post march snack “

@heidijanevet

Moms with more causes than one

In Seattle, moms like Amy taught her young daughter about her rights to her body.

Her body, her choice, and her rights.”

@amy_sung

Moms like Jaynina marched with, and for, her children.

#whyimarch #womxnsmarchseattle”

@jayneenuhprince

Moms like Hannah challenged the world to stand up for people’s rights.

Frankie Mei is strong enough to stand up for her rights…are you? “

@hanjomei

In LA, Moms like Micaela took a moment to normalize breastfeeding.

One of my favorite breastfeeding pictures to date!

Photo credit: @vimoverissimo

Moms like Chelsea reiterated the words of all women having a choice.

Hear me roar ??? ”

chelseadreamin

Moms who were photographed at the right moment

Moms in all cities were beautifully photographed, like this breastfeeding mother, by Tara in DC.

Breastfeeding during the @womensmarch on Washington today in Washington DC”

@tararubyphotography

Moms like Alana taught their daughters about HUMAN rights.

Women’s rights are human rights.”

@babiesarenormal

Moms like Cat had a great day marching, while breastfeeding, all the way in Lansing.

We had a wonderful day in Lansing”

@thehadleyhome

Moms like @ketchupisveggie brought all their babies to the march.

FrenchFry and I marching in NOLA today.”

@ketchupisveggie

Moms like Melissa K, who brought her 6 week old daughter Delia for her first march milestone.

Baby Delia’s first march.”

@carablaine

And moms like Stephanie had no words, but the right symbols to show her support.

#normalizebreastfeeding #wearallthebabies #womensrightsarehumanrights #womensmarch #theresistance #wesleymorrishoward #thefutureisfemale“

@mommasomm

How incredible are all these moms?

Photo credit: @noragoldman

How awesome is the solidarity of women to keep doing what they do to normalize breastfeeding and raise children with the mindset to stand up for our beliefs and rights?

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag

#BreastfeedingWorld

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Betty Rose

Betty Rose is a writer and the voice behind the #MomLife Column. Born and raised on the Pacific Island of Guam, she now resides in Seattle, Washington. After having her first child, she began sharing her new role as a Chamorro mother living in the stats and continues to contribute feature stories of Pacific Island communities in other publications. She embraces the diversity, the struggles of motherhood and hopes that, through her writing, she can break and bring awareness to the barriers set on minority communities across the world.

www.facebook.com/TheMomLifeColumn/

The post Moms storm Womens March with breasts, pumps and kids in tow appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Not sure what I mean?

Picture a well-paid professional mother working for “Awesome Expensive Coffee Business” Corporate Headquarters. We will call her Linda. Whenever Linda decides that it is time to pump, she leaves her desk and heads to a space with the beautiful label “Lactation Room.” She sits, behind a closed door, on a comfortable loveseat, plugs in her company provided breast pump and goes to work collecting her liquid gold for her baby. After she is finished, she packages her breastmilk and stores it in the office refrigerator to be carted home later for her baby to enjoy. Sounds pretty great right? You would definitely say that Linda has a choice to continue breastfeeding her baby AND work.

Is pumping at work still inconvenient? Sure, leaking bottles in your briefcase, leaving your work for many periods throughout the day and toting precious cargo back home is definitely no walk in the park, but it is doable.

What About This?

But, let’s think about the woman who staffs “Awesome Expensive Coffee Business’” counter. Melissa, that’s what we will call her, is told that she is only allowed to pump on her breaks. So, instead of eating and drinking on her breaks to keep up her breastmilk supply, she is found barricading herself in a small bathroom envisioned for customers, hoping that she may pump enough milk for her baby at home. Hoping that there may be a place to store her milk so that she does not need to dump it later on.

Would you say that Melissa has a choice? Along with the normal inconveniences of being a working, pumping mother, Melissa has so much working against her. So much so, that many mothers in Melissa’s same situation choose not to breastfeed at all. They decide against what is paramount for their baby because they feel that they need to choose between making a living and doing what is best for their child. Disadvantage begets disadvantage.

It is so important to normalize breastfeeding because,

This cycle continues everyday.

In 2010, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act added on a protective clause to the Fair Labor Standards Act for working nursing mothers. This clause states that an employer must provide time and an adequate space (a room other than the bathroom that is free from intrusion by other workers and the public) for a nursing mother to pump.

I bet that sounds like it solves all of our problems. Well, unfortunately it doesn’t.

Beyond the fact that it is difficult to enforce and that a lot of businesses are unaware of these laws; there is an additional clause that states that an employer does not need to compensate a worker for the adequate time that they have allotted the mother to pump. So, our friend Melissa, even if you are provided an adequate space where you may feel comfortable and the proper time that you deserve to be able to pump breastmilk for your baby; your employer can decide not to compensate you for the time that it takes to pump. Here we are again, a mother is put in a position to choose between making a living and breastfeeding her child.

Everyday that I nurse in public, every time that I share a brelfie, every Big Latch On we coordinate is working towards bringing rights and awareness for the women who have had to choose supporting her family over breastfeeding.

Whatever your choice may be, you should feel that you have a choice; that you have a voice for your family and your desires as a mother. No one should feel as though they need to decide between breastfeeding their child or earning a living. Breastfeeding should not be reserved for the wealthy and well-being; the stay at home mothers or the mothers who alter their work schedule to accommodate their new role. Breastfeeding should be for every mother who chooses it for their child, for their family. Nursing should be a right, not a privilege.

Together we stand up for the mothers who find themselves without this right.

Join our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

 And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our hashtag #BreastfeedingWorld

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Samantha Sykula

Born and raised in NY, I studied speech and language pathology at NYU. I am a stay at home mom to two beautiful children, Richard and Charlotte and wife to my wonderful husband, Rich. I have always had a deep love for learning, which has grown further since becoming a mother, I am always looking for new ways to enrich our lives. Becoming a mother changed my life, I learned compassion, caring and most importantly, true love. I hope to share the experiences of my breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, crocheting, full of love, life.

The post Nursing Should Be A Right, Not A Privilege appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

My Left Breast is a Champion.

Always full and ready for action, the left side is my son’s favorite side. When I pump, tiny streams of milk shoot out, full force. Righty, however, is a different story. My right breast is my slacker boob. Easily producing 3/4 of the oz my left side gives out, it never feels as full, and my son spends far less time on it. I have come to accept it as normal. Fortunately because I work at home, pumping is not something I need to do regularly, so I don’t pay much attention to my slacker boob.

Goodness I love those breast-fed rolls!

When I first noticed the difference, with my first kid, honestly, I freaked out a little.

Facebook Mom groups weren’t as prevalent, or if they were, I didn’t know much about them. I went to my new-mom resource at the time: babycenter forums. Relieved to discover how normal having a slacker boob was, I put the concern from my mind and moved on.

And it is totally, completely normal to have lopsided boobs which produce at different rates! What a relief!

Now, I follow quite a few mom boards on Facebook, particularly breastfeeding ones. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about getting factual data and studies to back up any medical inquiries that pop in my busy brain, but sometimes it is nice to just have that online support group of moms who say “it’s ok, I have been there too!” Recently, I have noticed lots of pictures come across my newsfeed of pumped bottles, one full, one only half full.

What is wrong with me?

Why is one side making less than the other?

Has anyone else experienced this?

Answer: There is nothing wrong with you, or your slacker boob!

It is totally, completely normal to have a slacker boob.

However, if it bothers you, and you’d like to get that slacker up to speed, or boost your supply, here are some tips to help. Remember, your body works on a supply and demand basis. So the more you stimulate your breast to produce milk, the more its going to produce.

You can…

• Pump an extra 10 minutes from the slacker side-
• Power pump the slacker an extra time in between pump/nursing sessions- 2-3x a day
• Begin each nursing session on the slacker boob side, instead of switching back and forth. (At least until it evens out a little more)
• Stay Hydrated! The biggest tip I give every nursing mother is WATER WATER WATER!

Also, Do not worry if you look a little lopsided, once your little one weans from the breast, they should even out to be about the same size. (Even if they never truly go back to the shape they once were!)

Happy Boobing!

xoxo

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

–

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Lauren Lewis

Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

www.raisinglaurenslittle.wordpress.com

The post Confessions of a Slacker Boob: 4 Fixes to Balance out Your Supply appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Honoring Infant Loss through Breast Milk Donation

The team at Breastfeeding World met Wendy Cruz-Chan through our 2016 NYC Big Latch On. In a sea of breastfeeding mothers, Wendy sat with her pump, proudly expressing her breast milk. Wendy’s milk would not be used to nourish her son. It went to one of several families she pumped for. Her donation was one from her heart. Due to a Haemophilus influenzae infection, her son Killian was born still born at just 19 weeks gestation.

Through her grief, we was able to honor her son by pumping and donating milk to babies in need. Not only is she able to pump her liquid love to provide sustenance for other babies, she is also raising money to provide Cuddle Cots to the NYC Methodist Hospital she gave birth in, as well as other hospitals in NYC. (To Find out more about her efforts and to donate to her cause, please click the link here)

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. Each month, an estimated one million pregnancies end in miscarraige, stillbirth, or the death of a newborn child (source). Breastfeeding World is extremely proud to be able to share Wendy’s story. We are focusing this month on lifting the stigma of pregnancy and infant loss. Too many families grieve in silence. Stories like Wendy’s brave journey can hopefully help other families cope and show support to others. You are not alone. When President Ronald Regan established October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, he stated,

When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn’t a word to describe them. This month recognizes the loss so many parents experience across the United States and around the world. It is also meant to inform and provide resources for parents who have lost children due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirths, birth defects, SIDS, and other causes.

Wendy Cruz-Chan was able to Honor the death of her stillborn son through donating breast milk to infants in need

My Lactation Journey – Wendy Cruz-Chan

When I had my first child, Ariya, I breastfed everywhere. In church, parks, trains, restaurants, airplanes- anywhere in public, whenever Ariya was hungry, using a nursing cover. I did not care what others think as I breastfeed me child. My husband was very supportive. I happily breastfeed Ariya until she was 2 years old.

5 years later, I discovered I was pregnant again, and this time with a boy. Just a few days away from hitting my 5 months into my pregnancy, on July 3^rd, 2016, I began experiencing flu-like symptoms . The next day, on July 4^th, 2016, my fever spiked over 101 degrees. I had body aches, heart racing, light bleeding and feeling my uterus contracting. Worried and in pain, my husband John and I headed to the hospital that late evening.

Birthing Killian

Upon arriving to the hospital, they immediately checked me in and examined me. The staff discovered I was in labor, dilated at close to 2 cm.  My uterus had become infected, and so did the baby. Doctors told us the worst news, we had to induce my labor to birth my son sleeping to save my uterus, and my life. The infection Chorioamnionitis, had already begin to spread throughout my body. I screamed and cried and begged them to save my baby, but he was too undeveloped to survive in the outside world. That’s when I decided to call for my Doula friend, Kerri for support. I knew John and I were not able to go through this without a doula’s support.

When Kerri arrived, she induced me with Cytotec internally. The contractions came at me like a bullet train. I rip off my hospital grown and got on my hands and knees as I try to survive through each powerful contractions. In 10 mins, my water broke, stained. Kerri was helping me breathe and giving words of support I needed to hear. I saw John looking anxious and helpless while I was in so much pain. The contractions were not like normal contractions. This was like no pain I have never experienced before. It felt like being stabbed with a hot poking stick into my uterus. I screamed for epidural, but even after it I received it, the drug did not work fast enough. I felt the urge to push, and out came my baby boy, Killian, sleeping.

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Grieving my Son

I was in shock when I saw him. Killian’s body was long and defined, his eyes were still sealed shut. He looked like he went through a battle. John lost it as he screamed and cried at the sight of Killian. Kerri tried to calm him down and I was still in stock. When the nurse cut the cord and took him away and delivered my placenta by force. I became very ill. The doctors were very aggressive with antibiotics to help me get better as my fever went over 103.5 degree. My blood pressure was very low and my heart was racing very fast. Once I had more strength, John and I spent time with Killian. We held him, took pictures of him, cried over him, sang to him, pleading for forgiveness that my body could not protect him.

We left the hospital 3 days later, and I fell into a deep depression. I cried and mourned for my son, and for the pain I experienced to birth him. My breasts became engorged, leaking breast milk for Killian. Realizing how full my breasts were of milk for Killian, I decided that I should pump for  other babies, and share my story on social media.

I will not be silent. I want heard, and to feel that I’m not alone in this journey. I want to honor Killian by pumping my milk and donating to babies in need of breast milk. I want to bring awareness to my stillbirth- and to stillbirths in general. With my goals in mind, I attended “The Big Latch On” in NYC Time Square on August 6^th, 2016. Among the crowd of nursing moms with their babies, I sat, the only one pumping- and proud of it.

Healing through Donating Breast Milk

I shared our story on social media. I received so much support through sharing my story. So many mothers read about our journey. All over social media, people expressed their condolences to me,  supporting me for pumping and donating.  “Breastfeeding World” heard about my story. They were able to gift me a new electric portable breast pump,  in order to continue and support the work that I do for other babies. The kindness and generosity I felt overwhelmed me. I know I am not alone.

Even though my pregnancy failed, I know I can bring healing to other babies with my breast milk. It didn’t matter to me that I got sore nipples, by pumping 8-9 times a day every 3 hours. It was giving me a purpose, a mission to spread awareness of miscarriages/stillbirths and for people to remember Killian’s name. My breast milk became his legacy, and with that I have expressed and donated over 560 ounces of my breast milk to 3 different babies, in one month.

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I’m doing this for the love I have for my son, Killian. For all the babies that are in need of breast milk to thrive. I am doing this for women and their families who have lost their babes and are too afraid to speak up, or talk about it. To our society that pregnancy loss is not a taboo and it does happen often. And finally to normalize breastfeeding, and not shaming it.

Lauren Lewis

Lauren Lewis is no stranger to childcare development, having spent over 10 years as a nanny or family childcare provider. She’s the wife of a travel geek, mother of two vivacious children, and has an amazing talent for trailing lost things behind her a la Hansel and Gretel. Her passion for lifting up women and advocating for children pours out in her work as a Central Indiana Event Coordinator, Writer, and Social Media Relations Director for Breastfeeding World. Her life is full of busy, crazy and LOUD. It is full of love and hope, ups and downs. And coffee, always lots of coffee- but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

www.raisinglaurenslittle.wordpress.com

The post Pumping Through Grief; Honoring Infant Loss Through Breast Milk Donation appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Our first latch <3

One plus to pumping – Daddy got to feed and bond!

My daughter was born at home (planned) and we had immediate skin-to-skin bonding, for over an hour, before baby got her first exam and I got cleaned up. We had all the advantages that apparently lead to successful breastfeeding journeys. In our first hour together, she did latch but only lightly and for a couple of minutes. My midwife told me her stomach was so tiny, and she had probably gotten enough and not to worry. So, I didn’t. By our second night together, I started to realize that maybe she was not latching correctly or eating enough. This was confirmed at her 2 day appointment when her pediatrician referred a bilirubin test and the results showed a slightly jaundiced baby. Talk of supplementing from doctors and family members had me feeling like a failure. My midwife reassured me that she would come help us with our latch and that I do not need to worry, we will get this down. In the meantime, I went to the store and got myself a pump, so baby would be able to get what she needed from the bottle. Pumping would take about an hour – and hurt – to get 2 ounces of colostrum. By the time I pumped, fed her, laid her down and washed the pump parts, it was time to pump again so it would be ready for her next feeding. This was exhausting.

In the next week, my midwife did help us with our latch. But it hurt. It hurt so bad. I would feed her and have to kick my feet, bite my tongue, yell, cry, and have a fan on me because I would sweat from the pain and I would dread every single feeding. Suddenly, the exhaustion of the pumping cycle seemed like a better bet than the excruciating pain from actually breastfeeding. After doing my research, it sounded like I could use some nipple creams to help alleviate the pain, so lanolin it was. I used it, religiously, for about a week. A couple of days into using the lanolin, I began to itch very bad in not so pleasant areas – but most research I did suggested it was part of the healing process (although I did not tear during my birth). About 24 hours after that, it was my entire body. I started seeing a rash on my arms and face. I was so confused! What is this?!

Full body allergic reaction to lanolin

Within 48 hours of the initial itch, my entire body from head to toe was broken out into a complete rash. My lips were swollen and my whole body was itching more than you could imagine. My midwives and I were stumped – I began taking oatmeal baths and brainstorming on what I ate differently or something new I used on my skin recently. I took one Benadryl, knowing it was going to be bad news but couldn’t help it and quickly learned my lesson. I get knocked out when I take Benadryl. Like, don’t try to touch me or wake me for 8 hours at least knocked out. Well, with a hungry newborn and as a breastfeeding momma, that wasn’t going to work. Finally, when I told my midwife everything I have ever been allergic to (poison ivy and wool) her light bulb went off. Lanolin is made of wool!!! In the trash went my tubes of lanolin. Since I was using this so religiously, numerous times a day, on my open cracked nipples, it had been in my bloodstream quite a while. My midwives prescribed me a 2 week steroid and it took about 3 weeks for my rash to fully go away.

In the meantime, I started going to free breastfeeding classes at my local hospital hosted by a lactation consultant. Here I learned about many things, one of them being thrush. It sounded like I had all the symptoms, but my baby showed no signs. My midwives decided to treat me for it anyway, and it did really help. But as fast as things got better, they got worse again just as quick. My rash came and went, my baby’s latch was perfect according to my midwife and lactation consultant at class, the thrush symptoms went away… but breastfeeding still hurt. A LOT. Finally, I decided to contact a lactation consultant that would come to my house, observe how I fed and my positions, offer advice and hopefully fix me. Please, fix me.

Hands down (pun intended) the best invention ever!

Throughout all of this so far, everyday was a constant struggle in my mind to give up or keep going. I could not even hold my baby because my nipples were in such constant pain. I would cry from the pain during feedings, but also in general not even during a feeding. I would cry from the stress and the constant battle in my mind on what to do? If things aren’t better by the end of the week…I must have said that to myself for at least 8 weeks. I had to be constantly topless as my nipples couldn’t even touch a piece of clothing they were so sore. Drying off after a shower was not even possible without cringing. I used nipple shells (I learned about those at the classes as well), which guard your nipples from your clothing. They were a lifesaver and the biggest pain in the butt at the same time. Constantly leaking every time I bent over and in my sleep, pouring out all over everything and wasting my precious milk! I also learned about nipple shields – an artificial nipple to place over your own to help with the pain – but it did nothing to help my pain. If anything, it made it worse! I picked up a hands-free pumping bra from Target and WOW! This was the best day in my breastfeeding journey so far! My 45-60 minute pumping sessions turned into 15 minute sessions (tops) to get the same amount of milk! This was definitely a game changer. I began a new system – pump/bottle-feed, breastfeed, pump/bottle-feed, breastfeed… I kept up with this every-other system for about a month and it really helped allow my nipples to heal.

When my lactation consultant came for a visit, she taught me the football position (which took 5 pillows and a perfect seat on the couch) and the side-laying position which made amazing differences. The football position helped relieve some pain and in the side-laying position at least I was comfortable and in pain, rather than sitting up straight and hurting my back! Anyway, the changing point in our journey was during this visit when the consultant mentioned posterior tongue tie. I had heard of tongue tie, which is pretty easy to see, but I had never heard of posterior tongue tie, which is harder to depict (even some lactation consultants and pediatricians do not recognize posterior tongue ties!). My baby could not lift her tongue to the roof of her mouth or stick it out as far as she should be able to. This was causing her to not be able to get the proper tongue wave/motion she needed to use while nursing. I was recommended to a pediatric dentist who specializes in these frenulum procedures. I was so relieved, so elated, knowing that there was something that could fix all of this. I saw a ray of light, of hope! I even learned of Dr. Jack Newman’s nipple cream that could be made lanolin free and got a prescription for that which did help in the meantime.

I immediately contacted the dentist and of course, with my luck, he was on his first day of a 9 day vacation. However, he told me he would fit me in the day he got back, and he did. We went to our appointment and sure enough, she indeed had a form of tongue tie. Hallelujah! There is a cure! At this point I was past the thought of giving up, I was going to go until 6 months no matter what, but I really hoped I could improve my comfort level. Well, we got the procedure and for 2 weeks had to do tongue stretches on the baby. The doc told me I should feel an improvement within a week but it could take up to 3 weeks, and there were no guarantees this was even going to fix our issues. BUT IT DID! And it took a whole more month! I started really feeling a difference around the 2nd week. You could see how different it looked when she would eat! The range she had with her tongue movements were suddenly impressive! I couldn’t believe I didn’t recognize this earlier. Thank goodness I finally gave up my stubbornness and hired a lactation consultant!

Road-trip breastfeeding!

By month 3, things were really starting to get easy. So easy, I took a 5 day road trip and only brought my boobs! No pumps, no bottles, no shields or shells! (OK, I broght the shield, but like I said, is anything ever really perfect?) The shield does help with pain now (since her tongue tie was fixed), and honestly I still use it for 50% of my feedings on my left breast. For some reason, my left nipple never fully healed and still gives me slight pain here and there. My nipple shells went in the trash and my pump is now used only for babysitting purposes!

The reason I kept going

So, does breastfeeding get easier, does it get better? Yes, but sometimes it takes longer than a couple of weeks. Here I am, with a 4.5 month old, exclusively breastfeeding. Is it perfect? Nope. But it works. And it is comfortable. And it is best for my baby. I still do not know how I made it through the first 2 months, but I am so glad I did! And my new goal is to go until one year…at least!

Check out a past blog where I wrote about 10 Things Never to Say to a Troubled Breastfeeding Momma based off my own experiences!

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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Teresa Finocchio

I am a 27 year old first time mom who lives in New Jersey. I had an all natural planned homebirth with the help of water and the self-hypnosis hypnobabies method. I am currently a stay at home breastfeeding mother to my beautiful baby girl and I’ll be sharing with you all some personal experiences and covering some other interesting topics, stay tuned.

The post My Imperfect Breastfeeding Journey appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

But, let’s be real…many breastfeeding journeys do not start out even close to any of those things.

The first three months of my troubled breastfeeding journey were extremely hard. From a bad latch and jaundice to a full body allergic reaction, to thrush and mastitis, to sore, cracked nipples and posterior tongue tie! We saw it all.

And we made it.

Is your wife, friend, daughter/daughter-in-law, sister, etc., struggling with breastfeeding? She will definitely need your support – but here are 10 things NOT to say to her.

1. “Breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt.”

Dealing with the pain of breastfeeding is both emotionally and physically difficult. We know that it should not hurt. We sometimes feel like our bodies are letting us down or that we are letting our babies down. We understand when it hurts, something is not right. We do not need to be reminded constantly that our bodies are wrong, because they are not. Breastfeeding CAN hurt. It hurts many women for many different reasons. So, what you can say instead of “breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt” is, “I am sorry you are having such pain breastfeeding – there has got to be a reason, let’s contact a lactation consultant and get to the bottom of this so you can start feeling better!”

2. “I think maybe your nipples are too big.”

Or too small. Just stay away from commenting on mom’s nipple size, please. We are already emotionally a wreck as we are trying to perfect this special bond and we do not need to feel as if our bodies are physically wrong. No nipple of any size will stop a baby from breastfeeding! If the mother thinks her nipples are the wrong size, she can check with her pediatrician or OB about this being the problem. We are not as comfortable as we look with being constantly topless around our daily visitors in the beginning, so don’t make this any worse than it is for us! If you see a troubled mom and think the nipple is the problem what you can say instead of commenting on the size or shape of mom’s nipple is, “I believe they sell something called a nipple shield that helps the baby latch well – would you like me to run out and get you one?”

3. “What have you eaten lately? Maybe the baby doesn’t like the taste?”

Most of us breastfeeding moms are educated and informed on what to eat and not to eat while breastfeeding. Telling us our babies may not like the taste of the milk we have produced is asinine! If you are worried we are eating improperly, buy us a book on healthy eating while nursing, but please do not shame the taste of our milk. That is most likely NOT the problem baby is having and our bodies have worked very hard to produce this milk! So instead, as said, buy us a nice healthy eating or recipe book for nursing moms, or better yet – cook us a healthy meal, quietly!

4. “I think your babies mouth is too small.”

Ugh, again with the size and shapes but this time of our babies! No, just do not! Do not tell us that our perfect little angel may have the wrong size mouth to breastfeed. If you are not educated on this matter – refrain from commenting on this altogether, but what you could say instead is, “Some babies have tongue tie or posterior tongue tie, which doesn’t allow their tongue to move as freely as it should while feeding. Have you asked your pediatrician to check for this or contacted a lactation consultant?”

5. “If you think it hurts now, wait ’til they get some teeth!”

NEVER! We as troubled nursers are already terrified that it will never get better, like they all say it does. Most of us may even be crying everyday and constantly on the verge of giving up. So please, do not discourage us further. If you have breastfed before and you know it gets better (because it really does!) you can tell us that for encouragement.

6. “Maybe you are not producing enough milk..”

Again, most of us are educated and informed on milk production. Our pediatricians, OB’s and lactation consultants can discuss this with us. This was one problem that I, fortunately, never had, but I did meet many moms while attending support groups who dealt with this. It is another issue that makes us feel our bodies are failing our babies, that we do not need you commenting on. If you are educated enough on the topic, what you can say is, “There are many recipes that are supposed to boost milk supply, let me bake you some lactation cookies and we will see if this helps! In the meantime, let’s call a lactation consultant and get some more ideas!”

7. “Your nipples just need to toughen up.”

This is just wrong. This suggests the mom should just wait it out and also sounds like we are going to have super hard and rough nipples which is not enthusing to us! There is most likely a problem that needs solving if there is nipple pain, and needing to “toughen up” is not it.

8. “Let me cover you up.”

Everything about nursing is uncomfortable right now. We need to watch our baby eat to try to find and fix the issue. We need to be comfortable especially in our own home and bond with our babies as much as we can while biting our tongue through the discomfort. If we are in our home, and you are a visitor, instead of saying this, you could say, “I will let you two be while you nurse…I will be in the other room, doing the dishes or folding your laundry, just holler if you want a blanket or a glass of water!”

9. “Why don’t you just pump instead?”

Genius! Because we NEVER would have thought of that! Of course we pump and for many reasons… build supply, more comfortable on nipples, baby needs milk NOW and isn’t latching… and many more. For me, it was a LIFESAVER. However, we still need to breastfeed in order for our babies (and ourselves) to properly learn. Also, our babies are way more effective in retrieving milk from our nipples then our pumps are. Oh and not to mention, if baby feeds every two hours, as most babies do in the beginning, you will have zero time to relax. I had to exclusively pump for days, sometimes a week in order to heal my nipples. My timeline went like this: Pump milk for a half hour (at least), transfer to bottle & feed baby (another half hour), burp baby and get baby to lay down, wash all pump parts and setup for next time to pump – Oh wait, it is time to pump again, already! Pumping, feeding, washing…it becomes a vicious cycle! So, instead of telling us to “just pump” you can kindly say, “I will wash and sanitize your breast pump parts in case you want a break later, they will be ready for you to use!” (Many new moms don’t know this, but, there are ways to rinse your pump parts and refrigerate them after use to save time)

10. Lastly, never, ever ask us, “Why don’t you just give your baby formula?”

Trust me, as someone who was on the verge of giving up on breastfeeding everyday for two and a half months, this is something we do not want to hear. We know that formula is out there and that it exists. We know many babies are formula fed and are just fine. We know many mothers who formula feed and we do not judge. But we want to breastfeed. We are determined and we are trying to stay encouraged. Personally, I had a free sample box of formula just 10 feet away in my cupboards the whole time, but never got to the point of using it. If and when we decide that we cannot handle the pain or troubles of breastfeeding any longer, we know where to find formula. Most of us who are in a constant battle of wondering how much longer we can go are already weighing the options of trying it. We know it is an option, we just are not ready to give up on our bodies. So, please do not even entertain the thought of formula to us, as we will make that choice on our own terms.

Did you have a rough start to breastfeeding? What were some of the things people said to you that got under your skin? Let us know!

If you are a beginner breastfeeding momma and battling with infections, bad latches, sore and cracked nipples, PPD, or anything bothering you, please reach out. Lactation consultants are amazing people, and a local breastfeeding support group will really open your eyes to how many women are dealing with the exact same issues as you.

And I promise, although I know it is very hard for you to believe at this time, it DOES get better.

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HT #BreastfeedingWorld

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Teresa Finocchio

I am a 27 year old first time mom who lives in New Jersey. I had an all natural planned homebirth with the help of water and the self-hypnosis hypnobabies method. I am currently a stay at home breastfeeding mother to my beautiful baby girl and I’ll be sharing with you all some personal experiences and covering some other interesting topics, stay tuned.

The post 10 things to NEVER say to a troubled breastfeeding momma! appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

Then it hit me.

Three months is the half-way point to some of the milk I have in the freezer approaching its bad date.

This got me thinking, I knew that we were not going to use all of the milk I have in the freezer over the next three months. Especially since every morning I have to pump (okay not HAVE to but I like to have a small stash in the freezer and that one pump per day gives me that peace of mind) and if I do not give that to my son, it goes into the freezer. My daughter does not like bottles and I do not feel the need to force the matter right now, I am thankful to be a stay at home mom for that reason, so the stash just keeps building. I wondered what I could do with the milk, since I absolutely refuse to let it go bad in the freezer and have to go to the dreaded place where other spoiled food goes (I am not even going to say the word).

I have heard of people baking with their breastmilk, using it in place of the milk that would normally go in the recipe, using it for milk baths, in lotions and more. While I was very interested in all of those things, they did not strike me as THE thing I wanted to do with something so precious to me. My breastmilk represents so much; it epitomizes my fight, my struggle, my determination and ultimately, my success and I wanted it to do something awesome.

A friend of mine, with a very giving soul, has posted before about breastmilk donation. She has done amazing things and helped so many moms who wanted their child to have breastmilk but could not breastfeed. I watched her send off tremendous amounts of breastmilk to families. I revered how she worked tirelessly to rebuild her stash just to send it off again.

I knew this is what I wanted to do with my milk.

I wish I had known about milk donation when my son was a baby and our breastfeeding journey unfortunately ended. Having now entered the donation community, I am absolutely amazed at the resilience these moms show; how they diligently work to make sure their babies always have breastmilk. I felt a strong need to be a part of this, to contribute to something I admire so greatly.

my sweet boy

As I contacted my first mom, I had no idea what this journey had in store for me. Our locations were the first thing to consider, I am close by another donor of hers, which made the trip worthwhile for the amount of milk I had available to donate. The next step was a battery of questions to make sure our lifestyles were comparable and that my milk was right for their family. The questions absolutely blew me away, not in the sense that they were really surprising, but more that I was surprised that I had not considered that there would be lifestyle questions. Of course there would be! This is something they are putting in their child’s body, this is what is providing their child with everything they need to survive, something they are giving to the most precious thing in their lives.

The questions were personal, ranging from my medical history (contact with any blood born pathogens, HIV or hepatitis, etc) to my basic lifestyle choices (recreational drug or alcohol use and diet) and of course questions about the care and handling of the milk itself. After answering the thirty-two questions, the parents decided that we were a match, my milk would be right for their family. My milk was good enough for their child. I was surprised at how important that was to me. Not only was my milk good enough for my baby, it was good enough for someone else’s.

I pictured letting go of my milk being difficult, but it wasn’t.

As I watched it go, I knew that it was going to be loved, that it was needed, that it was going to the best possible place it could go. I felt the upmost pride and happiness in knowing that my milk would be used to help another child grow and thrive, that a mom was able to breastfeed her baby in her own way, because of us. That is the greatest gift I could have received.

Milk donation is amazing

Not only to the family receiving it but for the family donating it as well. I cannot wait until I build up enough milk to donate again. I would love to hear about other experiences with milk donation, donors and receivers alike!

Be sure to join us in our social media accounts to be up to date with the progress of our project!

And… Don’t forget to share your brelfies using our HT #BreastfeedingWorld 

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Samantha Sykula

Born and raised in NY, I studied speech and language pathology at NYU. I am a stay at home mom to two beautiful children, Richard and Charlotte and wife to my wonderful husband, Rich. I have always had a deep love for learning, which has grown further since becoming a mother, I am always looking for new ways to enrich our lives. Becoming a mother changed my life, I learned compassion, caring and most importantly, true love. I hope to share the experiences of my breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing, crocheting, full of love, life.

The post Sharing The Love: Milk Donation appeared first on Breastfeeding World.

With the NICU team on standby, my beautiful son was welcomed into the world four weeks early.  Much to the doctors’ surprise after a suspected placental abruption, he was ‘perfectly fine.’  He didn’t need to spend any time in the NICU and had no health problems… except that he would not suck, let alone latch.

My son with his empty bag of milk after a suck-training session

One of our late night pumping/bottle feeding sessions

If you’ve read my post about our breastfeeding story on my blog, you know that this trip was my breaking point.  After days of pumping in airports and rental cars, and struggling to help my son latch onto the nipple shield, I broke down in tears in Portland’s International Rose Garden, and ditched the shield.  I used a sandwich hold to shove as much nipple into my son’s mouth as possible and held his head in place.  He wiggled against me, trying to break free from this strange ‘bottle,’ but after a few minutes he began to suck.  His latch made my toes-curl from pain, but it was the most beautiful, hope-filled pain I have ever felt.

My son and I on our trip to Oregon

It took a few more weeks of craniosacral therapy, a tongue tie revision, and lactation consultations, but I was finally able to have the breastfeeding relationship that I had always dreamed of… and I one hundred percent attribute that to my countless hours of pumping and his exclusive bottle feeding.  When I first started bottle feeding, I felt like a failure.  I felt like I was weak for not being able to persevere through the pain.  Now looking back, I was doing what was best for my sanity, while still providing for my son.  Had I not taken that extended break from nursing, I might not have been able to keep my supply up long enough for my son’s mouth to grow so that he could open it wide enough to latch to my breast.

While I now exclusively nurse, and am so grateful to be able to do so, I have immense respect for all the women out there that selflessly pump day and night to nourish their babies.

Amber Castro

I’m currently a stay-at-home mom to my son who was born in January of 2015. I have my degree in Anthropology and spent the two years before my son was born teaching. After months of struggling with nursing, I was finally able to have the beautiful breastfeeding relationship I dreamed of. These struggles helped me find my passion for helping other mothers in their breastfeeding journeys and guided me to study to become a lactation counselor.

onlifeandleche.wordpress.com

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