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Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Love of a Mother (Even if it's someone else's mother)
Lactivist reader "juliefabmom" left this comment on another post and after reading it and taking a bit to compose myself, I realized it needs to be placed as a post in and of itself instead of being left to flounder in the comments.
Pull out your tissues folks and take in the love of a mother.
from
The Electric New Paper, Singapore
Here's the story. it made me cry for 1/2 an hour this morning (I'm still breastfeeding my 12 month old so it hit me pretty hard) it was so moving.
The earthquake in China unleashed one of the most powerful forces on earth - love.
Whether it is a mother saving her child, a female cop breastfeeding lost infants or celebrities moved to act, it was there like a comforting blanket amid the pain, grief and heartbreak.
Perhaps one of the most powerful examples of these acts of love is the last desperate act of a dying mother, trapped in the rubble, trying to save her 3-month-old baby.
Knowing the end was near, she nestled her baby to her breast, so that the baby could survive after she was gone.
Dr Gong Pu, a 30-year-old gynaecologist told nddaily.com that rescuers were searching through rubble along a river in Chengdu when they came across a young woman cradling a baby in her bosom.
The mother had lifted up her shirt to breastfeed the baby. By the time they were found, the mother had already stopped breathing.
PROTECTING HER BABY
Said Dr Gong: 'We carried the baby carefully from the mum's arms. The baby started crying after its mouth left the mum's breast.
'It left tears in our eyes.
'From the way she was carrying the baby, we could see that the mum was doing all she can to protect her child.
A mother's instinct to protect even extended to strangers.
In Jiangyou county, policeman Jiang Xiaojuan, 29, was seen breastfeeding a rescued infant.
Mrs Jiang is still lactating as she gave birth six months ago.
However, when she heard about the quake, she left her baby in the care of her parents.
And when she saw hungry infants crying at the rescue centre, her motherly instincts took over.
She is nursing the children of three women who were left homeless by the quake and were too traumatised to give milk, as well as five orphans.
The orphans had been placed in an orphanage which does not have powdered milk.
Mrs Jiang's selfless act prompted netizens to sing praises of her on various online forums.
Some even posted MTV-style videos of her, using just that breastfeeding picture on youku.com, the Chinese equivalent of YouTube.
Nine-day-old baby He Jiahui receiving first aid in Dujiangyan. She and her mother were found trapped under a collapsed house. Said one netizen, called The Mollusc in Dayun River: 'To the most respected policewoman, I offer you the greatest salute.'
Another named Dearest Mum said: 'You have taught us what is the meaning of a mother's love.'
That's the power of compassion and it has spread.
--- isnt that heartwrenching? I love that mother for what she did for her baby. Absolutely heart breaking folks. But a story that needed to be passed along.
Labels: In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Tuesday, January 01, 2008
I Can't Be Everywhere at Once, but Swicki Can!
Ok, so as you know, I've been trying to figure out exactly what direction to take this blog as we move forward with me as a "retired" breastfeeding mother. I'll still be offering up my commentary and thoughts on the subject and I'll likely be inviting some guest posts on the topic as well. (I'll be roping my friend Anna in for a few since she's now expecting twins...a breastfeeding topic I can't speak to, lol.)
In the meantime, one of my regrets is that I simply can't keep you guys as up to date on breastfeeding news as I'd like. So, I have a solution. Or rather, Eurekster does.
Some of you may have noticed the new sidebar over there on the left. (I know at least a few of you have because folks have been using it.) That sidebar is called a swicki and it's a free community tool offered up by the good folks at Eurekster. I spoke on a panel with their CEO last month and have been playing around with the swicki option since then. I've got to say, it's kind of cool.
Basically, you can setup a topical category and seed it with some URLs to start things out. (You can also exclude URLs, which means I've already blocked any domain I could find that was associated with formula companies.) People run a search on a keyword and they get blog posts, videos and news stories that match. People then vote the story up or down, just like they would on a more general site like Digg. The difference is, this one is targeted toward breastfeeding news and related topics like childbirth, natural family living, etc...
You can see the results it in action on the
breastfeeding news swicki.
Want to get in on the action? Start using the site to find and vote on stories.
Have a blog of your own? You can
add the code for this to your site if you'd like to give your readers one click search access to the news and information in this community.
Over time, the categories, sites and such will refine as more people come in and run searches, cast votes and suggest new sites. Basically, this is a great way for the breastfeeding community to take the next step and build a great resource together. It will also give us a one-stop place to find all the latest news and information on the topics we're interested in.
Now, there's talk that as Eurekster grows, they'll do revenue share from the ads that appear on each swicki. This isn't happening yet, but hopefully it will soon. As the creator of the swicki, these funds would currently go to me.
HOWEVER, since I want to push this as a community thing, you have my word that if this swicki grows and produces any revenue,
I'll donate 100% of anything I earn from it to HMBANA milk banks.
I can't be everywhere at once, so the readers that only come here often end up missing out on some of the stories I don't have time to cover. This is my way to solve that and to help all you other bloggers solve it for your readers as well. It's also a great way for all of us to keep track of the hottest stories so we get a chance to discuss them.
So check it out!
Labels: In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007
An Italian Court With Too Much Time on Their Hands
Imagine you name your child. Five months later, you're doing some paperwork with the government and you put your child's name down on the paperwork.
Ten months later you find yourself embroiled in a legal battle with the government because they are forcibly changing your child's name to something they feel is more appropriate. You're told the name you gave your child would keep him from developing "serene interpersonal relationships" and that it will open him up to ridicule by his classmates. The government wins and changes your child name. You appeal and you lose.
All for naming your kid the absolutely outrageous name of..."Friday."
I guess they don't watch
Mr. Rogers in Italy...
The mother told
Reuters:
"My son was born Friday, baptized Friday, will call himself Friday, we will call him Friday but when he gets older he will have to sign his name Gregory."*headdesk*
Labels: In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Wednesday, August 01, 2007
New York Formula Freebies Ban Goes into Effect
If you had your baby in a hospital, chances are pretty darn high that you headed home with a black diaper bag packed with a tiny paper guide to breastfeeding, a ton of flyers for baby stuff and a couple containers of free formula. If you had your baby where I had Elnora, you may have gone home with a garbage bag (literally) of ready-to-feed Enfamil as well.
Lactivist reader Esmerelda points out that if you plan on having your baby in a hospital in New York City, you'll be heading home with something different now...
According to the
New York Post, you'll be heading home with:
...a tote bag stuffed with disposable nursing pads, a mini-cooler for breast-milk bottles, and pint-sized T-shirts for the babies that proudly declare "I eat at mom's." (Oh, how I wish I'd got the contract on the eat at mom's shirt...LOL)
The
Ban the Bags movement isn't new, but it is nice to see New York City signing on. In fact, city health officials are going beyond simply banning the free formula hand outs and are working hard to promote breastfeeding.
"Nationally, there has been a push to return to breast-feeding," said Dr. David Garry, director of obstetrics at Jacobi Hospital in The Bronx. "Human milk is still the best for newborn babies."
Jacobi made the push for 100 percent breast milk in 2005 and now says 25 percent of 2,200 babies born at the hospital each year are breast-fed.
"We are pushing to make sure all women know all the benefits of breast-feeding," Garry said. It's important to note that any mother who requests formula will still receive it.
Not surprisingly, the formula companies aren't happy about the move...
The infant-formula industry said it supports encouraging more breast-feeding, but is opposed to banning distribution of product samples.Duh. As if they'd dance with joy while shouting "Thank you for limiting our ability to become the brand of choice for a mom who turns to our samples in desperate frustration!"
Personally, I'm thrilled at the move. While I fully support a mother's right to receive formula for her baby the moment she asks for it, I find the act of sending formula home with every mom to be ridiculous.
Yes, you can donate the formula if you don't want to use it. I donated the free formula I accumulated after Elnora was born (I added it up, it would have fed her for more than two months). That said, study after study shows that moms who go home with those free formula samples breastfeed for shorter periods of time. No big surprise there. The formula companies aren't giving out samples to be nice, they're doing it because they have carefully researched the impact on their bottom line.
Formula is a choice that any mom can make, but any mom that chooses formula should do so knowing full well that it is not the BEST option. You wouldn't expect your cardiologist to tell you about the benefits of a diet of fresh fruit and vegetables and then send you home with a coupon for a free Big Mac Extra Value Meal on the premise of "free choice," would you? Why should pediatricians be any different when it comes to the nutritional needs of our babies?
ETA: I'm curious to hear if any readers caught The View this morning. I hear through the grapevine that they discussed the ban this morning and were quite unhappy with it. The hosts claimed that it stifles "free choice" and said the government was going "too far" to push certain ideals.
Can't say it's a huge surprise to me. Barbara Walters isn't exactly synonomous with "breastfeeding advocacy" and Elizabeth Hasslebeck is a paid spokesperson for
Ultra Bright Beginnings Infant Formula.
I've checked and no transcript of the show is available yet, so I'd love to hear input from anyone who saw it.
Labels: Childbirth Issues, In the News, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Sunday, July 22, 2007
TSA Announces New Breastmilk Policy
Three cheers for nursing moms who pump and travel! I'm two days late to this (was out of town on holiday with no wifi), but the TSA has announced a
new policy toward breast milk on airplanes taking effect on August 4th that will make for much easier trips for nursing moms.
A press release from the TSA reads:
TSA is also modifying the procedures associated with carrying breast milk through security checkpoints. Mothers flying with or without their child will be permitted to bring breast milk in quantities greater than three ounces as long as it is declared for inspection at the security checkpoint.As of the writing of this post, the TSA web site still references the old policies. I'd highly suggest that moms who are planning to travel print out this press release and carry it with them to show to TSA agents when declaring their breast milk.
Labels: In the News, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Sunday, June 10, 2007
Live on Internet Radio, Sunday, June 24th at 6pm
EDIT: Originally, this post said the show was tonight. Since I've made this post, it has been rescheduled for June 24th. I'll repost with info when the date gets closer.If you happen to stumble across this post prior to 6pm (EST) on June 10th, don't forget that I'll be a guest on
"Mommys Getaway" talk radio today to discuss the cultural issues surrounding breastfeeding. It's a live show and they do take callers for questions and discussions. (So if you ever wanted a chance to talk to me about these issues, here it is!)
You can
listen live at the show's web site and can call in with your questions at (646) 652-2615.
Hope to hear from some of you tonight!
Labels: In the News, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Catching up on Breastfeeding News
Whew! It was a long holiday weekend and I enjoyed some much needed time offline (two whole days, can you even imagine?!) That said, it also means that I missed out on posting a TON of Lactivist related news, so here we go with a rapid fire approach to the latest and greatest breastfeeding news...
Chemical Poisons, Breastfeeding and Brain DevelopmentThere is a second probable contributor to the problem and that's the increased rate of nursing and increased rate of duration of nursing in American populations. So over the past 30 years for very good reasons, for the health of infants, more and more mothers are nursing their babies. We have gone from a nursing rate of about 25 percent roughly a quarter of babies being nursed by their mothers to about 75 percent. The average duration that mothers nurse their infants now is about twice as great as it was 30 years ago. This is a positive and good and healthy thing. The problem is that these chemicals are concentrated in breast milk at a level of about six fold as they are in regular body tissues. Because they are concentrated in fat, in a sense the mother is concentrating these poisons and delivering them in relatively high dose levels to infants.What I'll find interesting is to see how it will get spun if it makes the mainstream news... Will it be that women should avoid breastfeeding because of this, or that the risks of formula still outweigh the risks of these chemicals, or that we need to clear these chemicals from the environment? (Thanks to
Aruni for this one.)
Gates Foundation Gives Glaser Foundation $9.7M for Research on Pediatric HIV Vaccines; Research To Focus on Breast-Feeding InfantsResearchers have found that an effective vaccine, provided shortly after birth, would not only protect an infant from contracting HIV while breast-feeding but also could offer long-term or even life-long immunity from the virus, according to the Glaser Foundation. The protective vaccine then would allow HIV-positive mothers to safely breast-feed for an extended period of time, providing infants in resource-poor settings with nutritional and basic health benefits.Wow! Absolutely outstanding! While here in the United States, passing up breastfeeding for the relative safety of formula isn't always a tough call for HIV positive mothers, it's a life or death choice in third world nations that lack clean water supplies. The idea that medical advances are being made that would allow mothers to breastfeed without fear of passing HIV is just wonderful. Kudos to Bill Gates for funding this type of research!
HBCP Will Stop PeriodsThe Food and Drug Administration backed continuous use of the pill, Lybrel, which is manufactured by Wyeth. Taken daily it can halt a woman's menstrual periods indefinitely, as well as prevent pregnancies. But it may be difficult for the women to recognise if they have become pregnant because Lybrel users will not have regular periods.Not being a fan of hormonal birth control, (I still blame it for sending my body into anti-ovulation insanity which necessitated fertility drugs for me to get pregnant with Elnora) I wouldn't be tempted by this...but if I was, the section that notes that HALF of the women in the drug trials dropped out "citing irregular and unscheduled bleeding" would have been enough to make me think twice. (Thanks Melissa!)
HIV in breastmilk killed by flash-heating, new study findsA simple method of flash-heating breast milk infected with HIV successfully inactivated the free-floating virus, according to a new study led by researchers at the Berkeley and Davis campuses of the University of California. Notably, the technique - heating a glass jar of expressed breast milk in a pan of water over a flame or single burner - can be easily applied in the homes of mothers in resource-poor communities.Wow, more great news on the breastfeeding and HIV front. It is estimated that more than 40% of the 700K children who get infected with HIV each year have contracted it from extended breastfeeding. As I mentioned above, breast or formula is not an easy choice in countries where children die from simple cases of diarrhea. This simple method could mean a huge life and death difference in the developing world. (Thanks Julia!)
Midwives in Demand in CanadaTen midwives might bring in a caseload equal to that of two obstetricians. But their patient-centered personal care, including 45-minute appointments and continuous emotional support, also means clients tend to leave hospital more quickly, require fewer medical interventions, and receive attentive prenatal and postnatal care. All of which translate to lower costs for the health care system. They are also the only regulated professionals to accommodate home births.The article states that 40% of women who wish to use midwives are unable to due to lack of availability. Ahh...how I dream of the day that I read an article and see attitudes about midwifery like that here in Ohio! In fact, there's a movement afoot right now in the Ohio legislature to make home birth midwifery illegal, but I'll cover more of that in an upcoming post. (Thanks for sending this Judy!)
Labels: Breastfeeding Advice, In the News, Stats and Studies
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Friday, May 18, 2007
Those Mean, Mean Baby Friendly Hospitals...
There's a LOT of buzz running right now in the lactivist world about an op-ed piece in the New York Times. The editorial talks about the recent
New York City decision to go "baby-friendly" and to keep hospitals from sending ALL moms home with the obligatory black bag from Similac of Enfamil. It's no surprise to hear that not everyone supports the decision, but the post gets an absolute BASIC fact completely and utterly wrong.
(Now, I want to preface this by reminding new readers that The Lactivist is NOT about formula bashing. In fact, if you want to bash formula or moms that use it, I suggest you go elsewhere. This site supports breastfeeding by uplifting nursing moms, not by tearing down formula feeding ones. So let's address this issue with that in mind please and avoid any comments about the author's choice to formula feed.)
Take this quote from the story:
By Day 4 in the hospital, I was a wreck from the pain of the C-section and from trying to nurse with cracked, bleeding nipples that weren't producing milk. The nurses were encouraging and patient with my attempts to breast-feed, but I ultimately decided to bottle-feed my daughter.
The formula samples were a godsend. As a first-time mom who was intending to breast-feed, I had not thought to have formula waiting at home. The perfectly measured samples got us through the first sleepless days until we could get our acts together to buy formula.Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but even in the "first sleepless days" of motherhood, I could have found a way to run to CVS to buy formula if I'd needed it. (And I live in a village of 3500 people...not in "the city that never sleeps.")
With Caesarean rates skyrocketing in New York City (some hospitals have a nearly 40 percent rate of Caesarean delivery), formula often becomes a necessary part of the equation.It bothers me that she seems to assume that c-sections and formula must go hand in hand. Granted, there are much higher formula feeding rates for moms that have c-section for a wide variety of reasons...but a c-section in no way makes formula NECESSARY.
Whether bottle-feeding is voluntary or has been dictated by circumstance, neither the government nor the medical establishment should try to manipulate a woman's decision by withholding samples that formula manufacturers are more than happy to provide.Umm... I agree. The medical establishment should not try to manipulate a woman's decision. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens when doctors and nurses hand mom a bag of formula and says "Brand X is the best formula" all while watching mom sit there with baby happily nursing away.
Hospitals and government alike should support a mother’s right to decide what is best for her and her child, be it breast-feeding or bottle-feeding. So go ahead, give out the free formula samples: it’s a nice gift, especially on Mother’s Day.Just. Doesn't. Get. It.
So with that, let me clarify one very important point.
Mothers that give birth in New York City hospitals can still go home with free formula. They simply have to request it now. (There's also no shortage of free formula to be had from OBs, Peds and company web sites.) It annoys me to continue to read about opposition to the "ban the bags" campaigns that focus on the NEED for free formula. Great, take your free formula, but don't send it home with the moms that don't ask for it.
Labels: Breastfeeding Advice, In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Friday, May 04, 2007
Vegan Couple Sentence to Prison for Baby's Death
If this doesn't just fall into the "why, oh WHY?" category, I don't know what does.
From the
Atlanta Journal Constitution:
The parents of a baby that died of starvation after being fed a vegan diet have been found guilty of malice murder, felony murder and first degree cruelty to children.
Jade Sanders, 27, and Lamont Thomas, 31, will get an automatic life sentence for the death of their 6-week-old infant, Crown. After being fed a diet largely consisting of soy milk and apple juice, he weighed only 3 1/2 pounds when he died.
Prosecutors said it was a chilling case of murder by starvation, a painful and prolonged death. Attorneys representing Sanders and Thomas told jurors the first-time parents did the best they could while adhering to their vegan lifestyle. Vegans typically live free of animal products.Wow...just wow.
The sad thing about this is that like with other stories, people will read it, make sweeping assumptions about vegans and blame the lifestyle for this death.
Now I understand that breast milk is technically an "animal product" but could any of my vegan readers please clarify that it's still just peachy to breastfeed? If not, is there any reason that organic soy formula couldn't be used?
Tragic. Absolutely tragic.
Labels: In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Tuesday, May 01, 2007
More Sensationalistic Anti-Breastfeeding News
Breastfeeding worsens asthma, allergies in children.
That's the headline of an article running the
The Australian today.
(
Thanks Andi for pointing this story out to me)
In fact, read these snippet:
BREASTFEEDING for longer does not protect babies from developing asthma or eczema as young children, according to Australian research that conflicts with national guidelines.
Results from a new Sydney study show babies breast fed longer than six months may actually be more susceptible to allergies at five years old. and
Furthermore, the early introduction of solids before three months actually appeared to protect against allergies. Now there's more in that article that explains things a tiny bit more in-depth, but we all know that when most people read the article, they are going to take away two things...
1.) If I breastfeed, my child is more likely to have allergies
2.) If I wait to introduce solids, my child is is more likely to have allergies
*sigh*
Isn't it funny how news outlets use a single study and ignore all the existing studies on the books that say something that runs contrary to that study? Remember that bit I posted the other day about the 95% confidence interval?
Now, I'd love to dive into this study to do some reading, but I can't find any place that actually gives out the name of the study. I've done a little digging and so far, nothing. That said, I've seen a few responses from those in the Lactation community, so I want to give you a little bit of input just in case you run into people that want to tell you how breastfeeding is going to make it more likely that your child has allergies and asthma.
First, the study looked at infants that were already at an increased risk for allergies due to hereditary factors. Looking at the data, it DOES appear to show that for babies that are exclusively breastfed for 6 months, there may be no reduction in allergies if you are already genetically predisposed to it.
The study also reportedly shows that for those who are at increased risk, are breastfed for six months or more and who have solids introduced after 3 months, there is an increased risk of having allergies at age 5. It says nothing about the overall rates of allergies or asthma, two conditions that often don't reveal themselves until children are much older than 5.
The study supposedly does nothing to differentiate children that are EXCLUSIVELY breastfed for six months (no intro of solids until six months) and then breastfed with solids until the age of 12 months.
So basically, without having access to the study and with having to rely on those in the lactation community for summaries and insight, it appears that the study was limited to babies that were already more likely to develop asthma or allergies and that in some instances, these conditions reveal themselves earlier.
The study does NOTHING to say that among the general populace, breastfeeding increases the risk (or even maintains an even risk) as not breastfeeding.
Anyone out there able to find the name of the study and the complete text? I'd love to take a look for myself...
Labels: In the News, Stats and Studies
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Thursday, April 26, 2007
A Little Perspective on the Obesity Study
I think some of my regular readers are wondering why I'm so
up in arms about the new obesity study. I'd imagine that they are thinking something along the lines of"
"Jennifer usually thinks these things through pretty carefully and tends to not get upset by the minor things. This is just another stupid study, who cares what it says?"
You guys are right...to a degree. But I've had enough comments come in that I figured I needed to address the issue.
A single study that says that breastfeeding does not prevent or help prevent obesity does nothing to lessen the benefits of breastfeeding. It shouldn't keep people from breastfeeding. It certainly doesn't say that breastfeeding causes or contributes to obesity, so normally, I'd pretty much disregard it and say "whatever folks, there are bigger battles to be fought."
But this time...this study...it goes deeper.
So, let's take a look at a screen shot of Google News from this morning...read through those headlines and get the general idea of what your average, not super informed person is going to take away from it...
Take-away point: Breastfeeding does not prevent (or even help prevent) obesity
Now, let's take a look at another screen shot of Google News this morning to see some other news that has been talked about in the last week.
Take-away point: A new formula is being created that WILL help prevent obesity
Is my point of view on the study making a little more sense yet?
Now you guys know that I'm pretty rational. I'm not a conspiracy theory type, I don't tell you to boycott Nestle (that's your own choice) and I pretty much NEVER rant against formula because I believe that breastfeeding stands up on its own merits and no mother that ends up needing to use formula for any reason should be made to feel bad about her choice.
HOWEVER, I do not think that it can be written off as "it doesn't matter" when a study this flawed comes out and gets THAT MUCH news coverage right at the same time that other news is breaking about a new component that will be added to formula to "help prevent obesity."
The reason that I addressed this study and worked so hard to help you understand what I feel the flaws are and why I don't think it should be taken as truth is because legions of moms around the globe are going to be seeing, hearing and reading about how breastfeeding does not help protect against obesity at any stage of life. (Which again, runs contrary to many peer-reviewed studies.) At the same time, they are going to be hearing about a new type of formula that claims it WILL help protect against obesity.
I want to make sure that as you go out into the world and as you run into people that comment about these two news stories that you are informed enough to explain why these two studies do not negate the benefits of breastfeeding. So that you are armed with the information that allows you to say "Well actually, that study really didn't do much of anything except show that white nurses suffer from obesity at the same rate whether breastfed or formula fed."
So take it for what you will, but based on those two Google images above, I think this topic was worth getting a little up in arms about.
Labels: In the News, Stats and Studies
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
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Outsourcing Breastfeeding on the Today Show
I posted earlier this week looking for some moms that had cross nursed or wet nursed. Thankfully, many of you wrote to help me track down some women for a spot on national TV.
The spot aired this morning on the Today Show on NBC and should be available online shortly.
It started with a quick scene of Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette just after she'd had a baby. She says (as they are taking the baby away) "I'd like to feed him." The woman taking the baby responds "But madam, we have a nurse for that," as the baby is whisked away.
Next we cut to Janet Shamlian of NBC Chicago reporting on mothers. They speak with Tabitha Trotter who says she often breastfeeds someone else's baby. She states that she has nursed the children of gay men, of moms that have multiples, moms that are on medications, etc. She estimates that she's nursed more than 40 infants over the last decade. She's never charged for her services though, she does it, because she wants to help.
They then cut to Gretchen Flatau, the Executive Director of the Mother's Milk Bank of Austin, Texas. She mentions that there's a risk of direct cross nursing or wet nursing because of the potential to spread viruses. She talks about the screening process and the pasteurization process of the HMBANA milk banks.
They cut back to Trotter, who explains that the pasteurization process destroys some of the benefits of the breast milk and that she feels that the milk has the most impact when it comes straight from the source.
Shamlian then mentions a service in California that wet nurses can be hired through. They stated that the going rate for a wet nurse starts at $1000 a week. (Though I think what they meant was that it ADDED $1000 a week to the typical nanny fee, as from what I understand, the wet nurses of this variety also serve as nannies.)
Shamlian also mentioned that while wet nursing and cross nursing are happening, many women fear being judged when they talk about it publicly, so it still mostly goes on quietly and behind closed doors.
With that segment wrapped up, they shift to Merideth Viara in the NBC Studios. With her are:
Jacqueline Wolf, Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University
and
Jeanne Rosser, from La Leche League International
On the topic of professional wet nursing, neither one is in favor. They both point out that there's a concern about the potential of exploitation for the mother's of poor children. (A concern I've noted in the past as well...) Wolf points out that paid wet nursing is a situation "frought with peril" due to the potential for jealousy between the mother and the wet nurse since nursing creates such an intense physical bond.
When it comes to cross nursing, where mothers aren't paid, both women support the idea. They explain that it takes so much time, so much concentration and so much focus to have that breastfeeding relationship and with more than half of mothers with children under a year old working, it's a time issue. They talk about a mom's need to focus on work, to focus on nursing the baby to focus on older children and basically point out that many moms are "too busy" to be able to fully nurse their own children.
Rosser explains that mothers need to know that there are risks involved in cross nursing, and states that LLL likes to support the mother/baby nursing relationship. She states that La Leache League does support milk banking because milk banking is screened to rigorous standards and is pasteurized for extra protection.
Wolf explains that if you are going to cross nurse or have a wet nurse, you need to know "as much about that mother as you would know about a sexual partner."
Viera asks about bonding between mother and child. "If you are't feeding, do you break that bond?"
Wolf states that that is her primary concern about wet nursing, that a paid nurse is nursing th baby all the time. That means that a strong bond is going to form between wet nurse and baby rather than mother and baby. She goes on to explain that with informal cross nursing, it's an occasional thing and it's very unlikely that you'll risk breaking that mother/child bond.
Viera asks about what a mom that is interested in doing this should ask.
Wolf (I think) replies that you need to know the woman's health history and situation and that she should go through a health screening similar to what she would if she was going to give blood. She went on to point out that this practice is more common than people realize, but they ran out of time and the segment actually cut Viera off in closing to go to local news.
Overall, I think it was a very good, very positive piece, far better than I had hoped for. Hopefully the the transcript and video will go up later today so that I can link to that.
ETA: The Today Show has the
story up online now.
Labels: In the News, Milk Banking and Sharing
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Any Readers Ever Cross Nursed?
Hey guys!
Just got off the phone with a producer for a national news show that wants to do a story on wet nursing and cross nursing. I seem to recall that there are at least a few readers here who have cross nursed, even if just once or twice.
If you'd be willing to speak her (maybe appear on the show, not sure) then please drop me an email. The show is supposed to air Thursday, so she's on a tight timeline.
You can email me at jennifer@thelactivist.com and I'll get you in touch with her.
Labels: In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Sunday, March 25, 2007
The TSA Breast Milk Debacle
It's tough...trying to figure out how to fly as a nursing mom, especially if you're flying without your infant. While the TSA has pretty clear-cut rules about this issue, they seem to have a lot of problem making sure their own agents know the exact policies.
Now the official TSA policy is NOT difficult to understand.
If traveling with your child, you may bring breast milk on board with you. If you are not traveling with your child, you can either store it in three 3 oz containers in a one quart zip lock bag OR you can check it. Obviously, if you have any quantity of breast milk, it needs to be checked.
Doesn't sound all that complicated, does it?
Apparently, TSA officials can't get it straight. There have been several instances in the last few months of moms being forced to miss flights or to dump their expressed milk. In some cases, that's because the mom hadn't taken the time to familiarize herself with the new TSA rules and is trying to carry breast milk on without properly packaging it. In other cases, the mom was following the rules to a tee and the TSA officers simply didn't understand them or enforced them improperly.
Well, there's another story about this in the news and I'm getting frustrated.
Heidi Souverville of Sacramento is upset because she was told that she could not bring 27 ounces of expressed milk on board with her. (She WAS given the option to check the luggage.)
I can't find any details on how Souverville had her milk packed. I don't know if she had it in three ounce containers and had few enough of them that she could fit them into a one quart bag, or if she simply read the guidelines stating that you could carry breast milk on board and missed the part about needing to have your baby with you. (Yes, I KNOW that rule is idiotic...)
A quote from an article on
News10.net:
On the TSA website it said if you were carrying more than three ounces, if it was breast milk or formula, that was OK," Souverville pointed out in an interview at her Curtis Park home.
TSA officers insisted the exemption only applies to mothers traveling with their children, and the rule was stated clearly on one section of the TSA Web site.CBS13 claims that the TSA updated the site to clarify the policy just last month after the issue happened. Here's what I found on the TSA site today under their general guidelines for what is allowed on board...
Allowed as Carry-OnBaby formula and food, breast milk and other baby items - These are allowed in your carry-on baggage or personal items. You can take these through the security checkpoints and aboard your plane. However, you must be traveling with a baby or toddler. [emphasis mine]That snippet also linked to the
full guidelines on traveling with children (or breast milk.)
The first paragraph on that page has the following line:
If you're not traveling with a baby or toddler, any formula or breast milk you're carrying must meet the requirements for carrying liquids, gels and aerosols (3-1-1).On the
3-1-1 page:
3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. 3 oz. container size is a security measure.and also...
Declare larger liquids. Prescription medications, baby formula and milk (when traveling with an infant or toddler) are allowed in quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint. [emphasis mine]Now, I can't go back in time and see exactly what the policy USED to say, but I do know that when I flew to Chicago back in December the TSA site was VERY clear on the fact that you either had to have a baby with you or you had to check your milk. (the option of carrying it on via the 3-1-1 rule did not exist when I took my Chicago trip.) It took me less than five minutes on the site (in December) to find out that if I wasn't traveling with my child, I'd need to check any expressed milk.
However, the articles that I've read state that Souverville was given the option to check her bags. I guess I'm not clear on how the option to dump your milk OR check your bags suddenly becomes "being forced to dump breast milk." (According to Souverville, she didn't want to check her breast pump bag because the bag isn't designed to be checked.)
Let me be clear that I have the utmost sympathy for ANY mom that is forced to throw away hard-earned expressed milk, but this issue has been in the news so much, I guess I just don't see how moms can claim ignorance. I had no problem finding the rules back in December (which were stricter than they are now). In fact, any time that I've checked the TSA guidelines in the last five months (and I've checked at least half a dozen times) it has clearly stated that moms traveling with breast milk but without baby must check the breast milk.
So just to be clear, let's summarize...
Traveling with baby = breast milk allowed
Traveling without baby = up to 9 ounces of properly packaged breast milk allowed... check the rest.
For the time being, these are the rules folks. You don't have to like them, but you DO have to follow them. Otherwise, you're going to run into trouble.
Now, what DOES strike me as odd is a line from
KCRA 3 that says it wasn't just about the breast milk.
Souverville said she had never had trouble bringing her breast pump on board a plane, until a February flight from Phoenix to Sacramento.
She said TSA agents refused to let her bring on board her pump and 27 ounces of breast milk.So wait...she couldn't take her PUMP on board? None of the other articles mention the trouble taking the pump on board, so it could be a mistake in this story, but if that's the case, it's something that I can TOTALLY get up in arms about. There's absolutely NOTHING on the TSA site that says there would be any problem with taking a breast pump on board and I'm flabbergasted that a TSA agent would have an issue with it.
Labels: In the News, Pumping Milk
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Why Generalizations Suck
If you home school your kid, they will be extremely intelligent, but socially inept.
If your kids go to public school, they'll barely be able to read and will do drugs at age 8.
If you breastfeed, you'll NEVER be able to be separated from your child.
If you formula feed, your child will have non-stop ear aches and colds until they are four.
If you home birth, you must dance naked in the yard under a full moon and then eat the placenta.
If you use an OB you'll be sliced stem to stern.
If you co-sleep, your child will stay in your bed until they go to college and you'll NEVER have sex AGAIN!
*sigh*
When will we move past the point of taking one potentially bad outcome of a situation and applying it to anyone and everyone that chooses that route in life?
The
Columbus Dispatch ran an article this past week about co-sleeping. It was one of the most ridiculous pieces of so-called journalism that I've ever read. (Of course, I have to remind myself that journalism classes no longer include that part about telling both sides of a story...)
Now remember,
I'm not really a co-sleeper, but I do support the ideas behind it.
You guys will just looooooooooove this...
On the second floor, Harrison, 5, is splayed, sideways and snoring, across his parents' king-size bed — having muscled his mother out and pushed his father, 35-year-old photographer Paul, to the edge.Any of you co-sleepers out there actually let your children push you out of bed? Cause last time I checked, co-sleeping doesn't mean giving up your authority as a parent. Oh wait...sorry, we're talking about sensationalist press here...CLEARLY if you let your children sleep with you, you must give up ALL control.
Let's continue...
The couple aren't alone in not being alone in their bed.
They also aren't happy about the "family bed," which has inched its way into the mainstream among indulgent parents who fail to set limits for their children.
"It is everybody's Achilles' heel, I think — this rotating and not sleeping," she said. "Yet it is so gross to think you've ended up with a family bed." Um....yeah. If you aren't happy about the "family bed" why don't you stop having a family bed? Once again...any of you co-sleepers out there that would allow your children to continue to sleep with you if it was no longer working for your family and you weren't getting any sleep?
Because yeah...sounds to me like these aren't "co-sleepers," they are indulgent parents who fail to set limits that just happen to co-sleep. So rather than lumping all co-sleepers into the "indulgent parents who fail to set limits" club, let's call a spade and spade instead of dubbing every single garden tool a spade.
More than a decade after infant-sleep expert Dr. Richard Ferber warned parents against co-sleeping and advocating a "cry-it-out" approach...Oops...sorry. Just had to throw that line in there so that you could all laugh at Ferber STILL being referred to as an "infant-sleep expert."
Back to the train wreck...
"Everyone I know has been to some sort of sleep center," said Liz Lange, the maternity-wear designer, who "went the sleep consultant route" for help with the peripatetic nighttime ways of her son, Gus.Umm...ok. Now see, I understand that there are kids that have sleep problems. I GET that there are children that just will NOT stay in bed at night. And yes, these kids (and their parents) probably need some help getting things figured out. That may mean a family bed (if the FAMILY is happy with that solution) or it may mean getting help in coming up with a plan to get the child to sleep in their own bed...
but...
Does anyone else see a pattern here? Very rich, very famous parents that, as Lange puts it, "work long, hard days and come home exhausted" and then have trouble having the energy to actually enforce ANY discipline on their kids?
(...and don't ya love how the author threw "peripatetic" in there to look smart? It means "walking about".)
Listen to what Lange says...
"By the time I get into bed at night," she said, "I've really had it. I can't spend from 1 to 3 in the morning running back and forth, moving them back to their beds. I will tell you that my daughter does kick and spin. My husband will swear she pulls the chest hairs out of his chest. But if I don't make an issue out of this, I do — we do — get a decent amount of sleep, at least six hours. The only thing that gives me a little bit of hope and comfort is the thought that I'm sure I won't have teenagers sleeping in my bed."In other words...it's hard work being a parent. I think I'll just let my kids run amok and hope that some day I get more sleep.
Uh huh...
Anyone else read this article and think "this has nothing to do with co-sleeping, this has to do with lazy parenting?"
Quite honestly, I've yet to meet a co-sleeping family that has these types of issues.
It's kinda like the mom on SuperNanny that everyone wanted to dub as being "AP" simply because she was breastfeeding a 14 month old and carried her around a lot. (We'll ignore the fact that she hit, slapped and spanked her kids non-stop.)
Co-sleeping isn't the problem here folks, lack of parenting is.
Labels: Co-Sleeping, In the News
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Milk Banking Article in Good Housekeeping
Well now there's something you don't expect to see...
This month's (April 2007) issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine has a nice two-page article on human milk banking. I had Greg pick me up a copy last night, but I wouldn't be beyond simply suggesting you read it while you're standing in the checkout line. ;)
It shares the story of a newborn and a 6 year old child that are currently receiving donor milk and does a great job of taking about how the process works and what the benefits are. Also has an interview or two with a few donors, including one mom that said it really helped her heal emotionally from the baby she lost in a ruptured ectopic pregnancy.
Anyway, it's really, REALLY nice to see milk banking (specifically the HMBANA banks) getting some positive press in a mainstream magazine. Here's hoping that this helps the word spread.
The funny thing? I saw someone on a lactation forum complain that the story includes an image of a bottle.
Umm...what do they think donor milk comes in? Cute little disposable boobies? Perspective people...perspective.
Labels: In the News, Milk Banking and Sharing
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Just In Case Your Blood Hasn't Boiled for Awhile
How many stereotypical
anti-breastfeeding statements can you fit in one editorial?
Thomas Beach seems to have managed to include every last one in a piece titled "
Nursing mothers don't appeal to everyone" that's been published at Delaware Online.
A few gems...
What used to be acceptable only in Papua, New Guinea or Botswana has now been adopted as the norm by a certain segment of our community.Yep, cause as you know, breastfeeding is only for those "dirty natives" that you see in National Geographic.
I have heard of a number of cases where women who were nursing insisted on using breast pumps at work and storing the milk in refrigerators provided for employees to keep their lunches.
People don't want their food stored next to your body fluids. In my mind this is no different than storing urine or fecal samples to be taken to a medical lab.Do you think he's related to
Patricia Elam?
My personal favorite started with the following...
Once had a stranger seated next to me on an airplane ask me to help her breast-feed her child.Wait...what now? HELP breastfeed her child? How does a stranger on a plane help someone breastfeed and what type of mother asks for such a thing? Unless of course Mr . Beach, in his infinite wisdom thought that "excuse me, would you mind if I use the arm rest?" really meant "could you please take hold of my nipple and place it into my baby's mouth?"
The rest of that incident revolves around Mr. Beach recoiling in horror, pitching some fits, threatening legal action and settling down only when the mother headed off to the airplane BATHROOM to nurse.
All is not lost though, at the end of the editorial, Mr. Coach finally comes to his senses...
It's long past time for the silent majority who object to such things to stop being silent. We should insist that everyone observe minimal behavioral norms in public environments.Ahh...finally...he recognizes and agrees that EVERYONE should observe minimal behavioral norms...you know, like "minding your own business?"
You can share your thoughts in the
comment sections at the paper's web site, there are already some nice ones there.
Labels: In the News, Nursing in Public
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Friday, March 09, 2007
Two Nursing Children Land in the Hospital After Moms are Detained
To be completely and totally honest, this is a topic that I'd hoped to avoid here. While you guys know that I'm pretty good at laying it out as far as how I see it (and I don't generally mind if my readers disagree with me), I do try to avoid the super politically charged discussions because I honestly think they do little to further the cause of breastfeeding.
But when readers started emailing me with links to the story, I figured I better suck it up and wade right in.
So, be forewarned...my views on this issue may not be popular with my readers, but no matter what you ultimately decide about this story, the fact remains that it's a story that needs to be told and people on both sides of the issue need to find a way to come to a better solution.
(Wow...that all sounds REALLY foreboding, doesn't it? Don't worry, I'll lighten things up in the next post...)
Anyway, the story comes out of Boston and revolves around a recent raid on a New Bedford, MA factory that resulted in
361 illegal alien workers being detained. Most of the detainees are young Latino women and all of them were flown from Massachusetts to Texas to await extradition hearings.
Now, I'm not going to get too deep into the whole illegal immigrant argument, but here's a brief idea of where I'm coming from. I can see both sides of this issue and while I support tightening our borders to keep people from crossing over illegally, I'm also in favor of radical legislation that makes it easier for people to come here legally. I have no problem with someone coming here from another country, I just want us to make sure that we can get them into the system so that they can pay taxes, have access to benefits, etc. After all, I firmly believe that generous immigration policies are what made our country the great place that it is. That said, I think we have to get a handle on our current problem before we go granting amnesty and opening the borders.
At this point you're going "yeah yeah, this is nice, what the heck does it have to do with breastfeeding?"
Well, the issue that makes this story relevant to The Lactivist is that these women were rounded up and carted off without anyone bothering to check and see if they had children. In fact, two of the children of these workers have landed in the hospital to be treated for dehydration because they were still nursing. (And yes, I know some of you are saying "just give them formula who cares?" but I'd remind you that some breastfed children simply will NOT take a bottle. Mine is one of them...and while eventually I'm sure they'll be able to get some food in them, the fact remains that this is a potentially serious health issue for these children.)
Still other children were simply left with no day-time care-giver (the factory was raided at night...most of these women were working while their children slept and could be left with sleeping friends or family.)
At a press conference about the issue, Governor Deval Patrick shared his frustration with the way things have been handled.
"What we have never understood about this process is why it turned into a race to the airport," Patrick said. "We understand about the importance of processing; we get that. But there are families affected. There are children affected."Obviously someone dropped the ball here.
Now let me be clear that I have ZERO issue with illegal immigrants being detained and even deported. I feel for them, I really do and I want to see things in this country change so that they can come here legally without waiting years and spending tons of money...but right now, I understand the need to work through the process.
HOWEVER.
There is absolutely NO excuse for separating a child from their mother like that. If the mother is being taken to be deported, then the children need to be sent along as well, especially if we're talking about an infant.
That said, the story is mixed from each side. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the women WERE asked whether or not they had dependant children that required care.
Immigration agents "worked closely with DSS both before the operation commenced and at every stage of the operation, to be sure that no child would be without a sole caregiver," Julie L. Myers , the assistant secretary of homeland security, wrote in a letter to Patrick.
Myers, as well as a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that each of the 361 detainees was asked about child-care needs several times. They pointed out that 60 women who were found to be the sole caregivers to their children have since been released, though they will still face a court hearing.
With that in mind, we also have to consider whether or not a mom in this situation is going to be honest about her situation, or whether translators were provided for those that could not speak English. It's not hard for me to believe that a mom in this situation would worry that if she admitted to having children (and told where they were) that those children might be taken and placed into foster care rather than left with their baby sitters who would (hopefully) continue to care for them.
Even still, some mothers were spared before being flown to Texas. The story continues with...
State social workers who arrived late Wednesday at the interim detention site at the former Fort Devens army base in Ayer found 20 detainees, whom federal agents had not identified, and who they determined should be returned to New Bedford: four pregnant or nursing mothers, nine single mothers, and seven detainees who were minors under age 17. But by the time they were given access to the detainees, the 90 others who were sent to Texas had already left on a plane.Obviously the other HUGE issue here is that many of these children were born here in the United States, making them citizens. While they clearly have a right to remain here, the law doesn't necessarily grant them the right of having their biological parent as their primary caregiver and it certainly doesn't grant them the right to have breast milk over formula. (I'm not saying that's ok or not ok, I'm just stating how it is.)
Want to hear the absolute greatest irony of all this? The company that these illegal immigrants were working at...was under an $83 million government contract to make backpacks for the U.S. Defense Department.
So please, let's not get TOO far into a debate on immigration or Republicans or Democrats. If it goes that direction, it's all you guys, I'm out of it, because quite frankly, I do this blog for fun and I don't feel like getting into a huge political debate with a bunch of mudslinging.
But, what are your thoughts on this? We have laws in this country that need to be followed, but we also have to balance the needs and rights of children. At what point does a mother lose the right to be able to breastfeed, or does her child's implicit right to health supercede the ANY punishment of the mother?
I'm torn. I'm a tried and true lactivist, but I also realize that while breast is best, there does come a point in time where a mother cannot use her child as a scapegoat to get out of punishment. I'm not sure where that line is because I strongly support children's rights, but I know that line has to be drawn somewhere...
Labels: In the News, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Monday, March 05, 2007
City Kids Day Care Issue: Time to Contact Legislators
Since
City Kid Day Care's recent
public statement to the
Columbus Dispatch make it pretty clear that they do not plan on backing down when it comes to their ridiculous policy on the handling of breast milk, it's now time to start a push for new state guidelines or new legislation that would prevent day care centers from discriminating against a child because of the food they eat.
With that in mind, I've drafted my own letter to state representatives and state senators and will be sending it to all of the legislators that supported our 2005 breastfeeding in public bill. I'll also be sending a slightly revised version to all of my local representatives. I would strongly encourage all of my Lactivist readers to do the same. (If you don't live in Ohio, forward this link to someone who does. Better yet...consider revising this letter and making a push in your OWN state. After all, unless you live in Louisiana, there's nothing to prevent day care centers near you from doing the same thing City Kids Day Care is doing.)
Here's the letter that I'm sending...
Dear Representative,
I am writing to alert you of an issue currently taking place in Columbus, Ohio (and many other cities in our great state and nation) that puts at risk both a mother's ability to find quality care for her child should she need or choose to return to the work force and that same child's long-term health. Because I know that you are a proponent of families, I am asking you to consider sponsoring new legislation that would protect the rights of working mothers and their breastfed children.
I am currently working with a mother named Robin Neorr here in central Ohio. Robin, like many moms, had to return to work while her daughter was still an infant. Where Robin differs from many moms is in her dedication to providing expressed breast milk for her daughter while her daughter was in day care. This is not an easy task for most working mothers, but Robin strongly felt that her child both needed and deserved to have the best nutrition possible.
The problem is that Robin had a difficult time finding a day care center that had space for her infant daughter. When she did, she was told that the center would not handle her breast milk. Robin was told that she would need to arrange to have a prepared bottle dropped off every time that her daughter needed to eat because the center would not store breast milk on the premises. Robin was eventually able to convince the center to handle her milk, but the center charged her a fee of an extra $50 a week to handle it.
I am covering the story extensively on my blog at: http://thelactivist.blogspot.com/ I am also assisting Robin in her quest to gain media attention over this unfair, unfounded and discriminatory practice. The story has recently appeared on Channel 6 news in Columbus and made the front page of The Columbus Dispatch.
Since beginning to work with Robin I have spoken with many mothers that have had similar issues, including one mom that eventually lost her job because she had to take so much time off to deliver bottles of breast milk to a day care center that refused to handle it. Many moms have told me that they could not locate a day care center that would handle breast milk at all.
Working mothers should not be forced to choose between their job and their ability to breastfeed their child. Day care centers should not have the right to dictate the diet of the children that attend their centers.
I have also learned that Louisiana is the only state in the union that specifically prohibits discrimination against breastfed children by day care centers. (LRS 46. 1409 B 5)
This presents Ohio with an enormous opportunity to take progressive steps toward promoting the rights of children in our great state. Ohio's breastfeeding rates are among the lowest in the nation. In fact, Ohio falls in the bottom ten in terms of breastfeeding initiation rates. The health benefits of breast milk are undisputed. It can only help our state in terms of health care costs and productivity to do whatever possible to encourage breastfeeding.
I greatly appreciate your involvement in helping to pass the 2005 changes to the Ohio Revised Code that helped give breastfeeding mothers increased protection while feeding their children in public. I would now ask that you consider working with Robin and I to introduce new legislation that would keep state certified day care centers from discriminating against children based on the fact that they are breastfed.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Laycock
Sunbury, Ohio
You can get in on the act too. Feel free to modify my letter or to craft one of your own. You can find the email address of your Ohio
State Representative and
State Senator online.
Once again ladies, let's spread the word far and wide. It's not just Ohio that needs this put in place. There are 49 states out there that we need to get to work in. We can not let this issue die until it has been resolved.
I'll also remind Lactivist readers that if you haven't already
emailed me, but are interested in attending any nurse-in or nurse-out that is organized to support the need for legislation, please drop me an email and I'll add you to my notification list. I've already got mother's all over the state ready to drive in and even a few from out of state. Let's prepare for one of the largest nurse-ins the midwest has ever seen.
Labels: In the News, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
Looking for The Lactivist? She's retired. But you CAN still find Jen blogging. These days, she's runs A Flexible Life. Join her for life, recipes, projects and the occasional rant. |
Thursday, March 01, 2007
City Kids Day Care Story Makes the Front of the Columbus Dispatch
Robin Neorr's incident with a downtown Columbus day care center has made the front page of the Columbus Dispatch this morning. The article includes the first public statement that I've seen or heard anywhere from City Kids about the matter.
"Breast milk is very different than other foods. It is a bodily fluid which cannot and must not be interchanged between infants. This takes rigorous individual attention. Parents pay for this specialized service."Hmm...call me crazy, but I never really thought of giving kids the proper bottle to be "specialized service." In fact, I kind of count that as an absolute baseline ability for someone that I would entrust my children to. In fact, Chris Smith, a lactation consultant interviewed for the story points out that this is also an issue for formula fed children, citing the fact that some children are on specialized formulas due to allergies.
The
full article is quite interesting, lots of quotes from Robin, the center, a lactation consultant, LLL, the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, etc...
The center, City Kids Daycare, told her it doesn't store breast milk on site, she said. And she would have to bring a bottle in every time her daughter, Ceili, got hungry.
"I didn’t really think it was fair, but at that point I was so pregnant and miserable," said Neorr, of Clintonville, noting that she learned about the policy a couple of weeks before her daughter was born on Nov. 5.
Later, the center agreed to accept her bottled breast milk if she paid an extra $10 a day. She paid the fee for eight weeks until she found an opening at a center that doesn’t charge.
At City Kids, her breast milk was kept in a different refrigerator from the bottles of infant formula. A sign on the refrigerator read "biohazard," and once she saw an employee’s cream cheese in the same refrigerator, she said.
"What I didn't think to ask was, 'Do they accept breast milk or not?' because I didn't think it was something you have to ask," Neorr said this week. "It seems pretty obvious."
Unfortunately, City Kids statement looks to me like rather than realizing that they may have made a mistake, they're instead planning on digging in their heels in the hopes of outlasting the publicity.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't plan on dropping this story until it's resolved in a way that includes no longer discriminating against breastfed children and in training their staff well enough that they don't have to worry about children getting the wrong bottles.
UPDATE: They also just put the question of
whether or not day care centers should treat milk as a biohazard up as their "Hot Topic" vote. Please go vote and help spread that link far and wide!
Labels: In the News, Lactivism
Author: Jennifer Laycock » Comments:
