Where do you get your breastfeeding information?

The Internet is any extremely useful resource; it is at the tips of our fingers, we have constant access, and above all, it is convenient. It can, however, be overwhelming especially in the early days of mothering a newborn. In these early days you may be wondering, Is my baby gaining enough weight? How much and how often should he nurse? Do I have enough milk? Is his poop supposed to be that color?! It is convenient to take out our phones and have immediate access to Facebook and online forums to voice our concerns.  When posing questions online or simply searching for information we are inundated with many different opinions, resources, scientific evidence, and research studies. It is time consuming to navigate the sea of information on the Internet. As a new mother or even with subsequent children you know how precious time is. You may ask yourself Is this a reliable source? What experience does this person have? Which study is accurate? What information is most important?  

As La Leche League leaders, we are trained to decipher information, recognize reliable sources, and establish which scientific evidence and studies are most beneficial and accurate. We are trained in how to counsel women along their breastfeeding journey. We have extensive training and real life experience under our belts, or in this case, bras! We are very much involved with breastfeeding advocacy in the community and we have access to resources in the community to refer mothers in cases beyond our scope of practice. Our goal is not to give you advice and the mantra of “what worked for me, will work for you” does not apply. Our goal is to educate, inform, support, encourage and promote a healthy breastfeeding relationship for mother and child. We strive to assist women in finding a solution that works best for them and their family by providing factual based evidence and suggestions that have worked for most mothers as well as current best practice. Just because a technique worked for one person does not mean that it will work for another, nor is it the option that may be best suited for you and your child.

While the internet can be a useful resource it can also be a stressor and a hindrance on your breastfeeding journey. I encourage all mothers to be cognizant of where you obtain your information and really consider, Do I trust the person that is giving me advice? Do they have my best interest in mind? Is this what is best for me and my child? Is this a reliable and factual source? Does this person have the expertise and training to determine my needs and find a solution?

This blog post was originally posted at LLLofLehighValley.blogspot.com and has been republished with permission.

Jennifer Abdul-Rahman is a Registered Nurse on weekends and a stay at home mom to her two boys during the week. She became an advocate for breastfeeding mothers after discovering the joys, difficulties, and obstacles of breastfeeding her own two sons. She is a La Leche League leader for Lehigh County and strives to meet mothers on their breastfeeding journey and help them reach their goals.

Socially Speaking...Breastfeeding Needs More Champions

By Jacqline Wolf Tice, B.S. CHES

Cumulative national data on breastfeeding is cause for some optimism, according to the CDC’s 2014 Breastfeeding Report Card.  The national trends in exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 3- and 6-months have each increased 2-3 percentage points from previous year rates (as reported in the 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card).  The report states that nearly 41% of children born in the U.S. are being exclusively breastfed at 3-months, and the rate for babies exclusively breastfeeding at 6-months, is 18.8%.  That's nearly 1/5 of all U.S.-born babies!  With only five years to go, we may actually reach the Healthy People 2020 objectives of 46.2% of babies EBF at 3-months and 25.5% EBF at 6-months.  

The overall increase in these numbers is due, in part, to three components:

• The number of babies NOT given formula in the first two days of life.  (Babies who are breastfed in the first two days of life are more likely to be breastfed after leaving the birth facility.)
• The number of IBCLC's and CLC's per 1,000 births.  (Evidence-based maternal education and support mechanisms regarding breastfeeding increases likelihood of breastfeeding.)
• The impact of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in the U.S.  (Implementation of The 10 Steps into hospital policy has created a supportive environment that generates expectation for babies to be fed breast milk.)

Source: 2012 Breastfeeding Report Card, CDC

Institutional policies supportive of breastfeeding are essential and are driving factors that promote normalization of EBF as the first option in infant feeding.  As well, implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, with its policy directive mandating businesses (with 50+ employees) to accommodate breastfeeding mothers, has also helped lay the groundwork for increasing EBF rates.  

In the efforts to achieve greater breastfeeding rates, however, there is a deeper and more far-reaching component, common to countries like Norway and Sweden, that has remained elusive in the U.S.  That is the awareness of the social contract component inherent in breastfeeding.  With medical, public health, and government experts in agreement that breastmilk is the most healthy and economical feeding option for nearly every infant until 6 months of age, it should follow that EBF be considered morally right and normal (and expected).  Acceptance and support for mothers and families who choose EBF ought to generate compassion and admiration, not embarrassment and shame, when encountered in the public sphere.  That is a central tenet of social contract theory - normalization of social practices supported by public policies based on assumptions all would (or do) agree are beneficial for all.

While it is easier to access long-range data and support about the health and psycho-emotional benefits of breastfeeding for both babies and mothers, breastfeeding is generally still stigmatized in social environments in the U.S.  Community-based efforts and information delivery to mothers and their families from pre- through post-natal pregnancy is required to activate the "normalcy" demand for breastfeeding necessary to ensure each baby's right to be breastfed and each mother's right to breastfeed, wherever they are together.  

The World Health Organization's Breastfeeding Policy Brief encourages community-based strategies including locally-tailored communication campaigns, peer-to-peer models, support groups, and engagement with community leaders to promote education and acceptance of EBF.  In order to promote and activate normalcy of breastfeeding as part of a social contract, formally or informally, community champions are an essential and primary part of the equation.

Five years ago, we could not, as a society, have imagined there could be normalcy of prophylactic mastectomies to protect women against breast cancer.  Yet, in women with  BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, this surgery, championed by actor Angelina Jolie, has quickly become socially accepted, in part due to its 95% risk reduction of breast cancer in women with those specific gene mutations.  The celebrity of Ms. Jolie became the driver of the information, triggering massive media attention, analysis, and social conversations which transformed how society interprets this issue.  

But, do we really need celebrities to tell us how to interpret data?   A 2002 meta-analysis published in Lancet looked at studies in 30 countries with over 150,000 women participants, with and without breast cancer, and found that breastfeeding could account for over two-thirds of breast cancer reduction incidence.  Ovarian cancer risk is also reduced by breastfeeding.  It is known that exclusively breastfed babies receive immunological protective factors for childhood conditions like diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, otitis media, necrotizing enterocolitis and pneumonia.  There are also associations indicating decreased risk of asthma, Type 1 diabetes, and obesity in those who are breastfed.  The benefits of breastmilk are well-documented and readily accessible. While celebrities do highlight the story, community champions help write the story.

It is difficult to change the way we think about our future and our children's futures when we are over-burdened with economic and personal issues that need our immediate attention.  However, if human breast milk were bottled, sold in stores, and marketed like a popular energy drink, chances are it would fly off the shelves!  In the U.S., we tend to value that which we must pay for.  Breastmilk is free to every mother who gives birth and every baby she gives life to.  Its value, though, as part of the social contract, is priceless.  

Being a champion for breastfeeding means investing in this social contract and "paying it forward" through policy development, community engagement, and direct peer support - for the health and wellbeing of all our futures.  

Jacqline Wolf Tice is a Public Health Professional and is employed by St. Luke's University Health Network as a Community Health Educator.  In 2015, Jacqline was elected Board Co-Chair of the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition.  

Editor’s Notes:

Links to publications and data cited listed below were verified as of July 1, 2015.

Breastfeeding Report Card: United States, 2014. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2014breastfeedingreportcard.pdf

Breastfeeding Report Card: United States, 2013. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2013breastfeedingreportcard.pdf

Healthy People 2020 Objectives for the Nation. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
June 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/policy/hp2010.htm

The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Baby-Friendly USA. http://www.babyfriendlyusa.org/about-us/baby-friendly-hospital-initiative/the-ten-steps

Breastfeeding Report Card: United States, 2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2012breastfeedingreportcard.pdf

WHA Global Nutrition Targets 2025: Breastfeeding Policy Brief. World Health Organization. October 2014. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/globaltargets_breastfeeding_policybrief.pdf

Surgery to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer. National Cancer Institute.
August 2013. http://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/risk-reducing-surgery-fact-sheet

Breast Cancer And Breastfeeding: Collaborative Reanalysis Of Individual Data From 47 Epidemiological Studies In 30 Countries, Including 50 302 Women With Breast Cancer And 96 973 Women Without The Disease*. The Lancet. July 2002. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12133652?dopt=Abstract

Ovarian Cancer Risk Is Reduced by Prolonged Lactation: A Case-control Study in Southern China. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. January 2013. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/01/02/ajcn.112.044719.abstract?sid=a32809e9-b5ea-485b-ae4e-1b919e703338

Breastfeeding protects against illness and infection in infants and children: a review of the evidence. Breastfeeding Review. July 2001. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11550600

Exclusive breastfeeding to reduce the risk of childhood overweight and obesity: Biological, behavioural and contextual rationale. World Health Organization. September 2014. http://www.who.int/elena/titles/bbc/breastfeeding_childhood_obesity/en/

Congratulations to the winners of our Children's Book Giveaway, Meghan Lomangino and Lehigh University Childcare Center!

Check out our Reading Room with Breastfeeding Books for Kids!

Children's Books Featuring Breastfeeding - GIVEAWAY!

Humans are social and pay attention to social norms. When we see something all around us, we generally accept it as "normal." Throughout most of human history, breastfeeding has been the norm.
To help renormalize breastfeeding, the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition is giving away two (2) children's books featuring breastfeeding. To maximize the impact of this giveaway, an additional two (2) children's books featuring breastfeeding will be donated to a local childcare facility.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.
  1. Eligibility: Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to those who sign up at the online sweepstakes page and who are 18 as of the date of entry. The sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of United States and is void where prohibited by law. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.
  2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, you agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and you represent and warrant that you meet the eligibility requirements set forth herein. In addition, you agree to accept the decisions of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, as final and binding as it relates to the content. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.
  3. Sweepstakes Period: Entries will be accepted online starting on or about March 26, 2015  and ending April 15, 2015. All online entries must be received by April 15, 2015 11:59PM EST.
  
  
  4. How to Enter: The Sweepstakes must be entered by submitting an entry using the online form provided on this Sweepstakes site. The entry must fulfill all sweepstakes requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are not complete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. You may enter only once and you must fill in the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition.
  5. Prizes: Winners will receive two (2) children's books featuring breastfeeding, titles to be determined by Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. An additional two (2) children's books featuring breastfeeding will be donated to a licensed childcare facility within Pennsylvania. Total retail value ~$50. Actual/appraised value may differ at time of prize award. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by the Sponsor. No cash or other prize substitution permitted except at Sponsor's discretion. The prize is nontransferable. Any and all prize related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes shall be the sole responsibility of the winner. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by winners is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition to use winner's name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.
  
  6. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  7. Winner selection and notification: Winners of the Sweepstakes will be selected in a random drawing under the supervision of the Sponsor. Winners will be notified via email to the email address they entered the Sweepstakes with within five (5) days following the winner selection. Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition shall have no liability for a winner's failure to receive notices due to winners' spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for winners' provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If the selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within 15 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and releases as required, prize may be forfeited and an alternate winner selected. 
  The receipt by winner of the prize offered in this Sweepstakes is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal and state laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY ANY WINNER (AT SPONSOR'S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN SUCH WINNER'S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE SWEEPSTAKES AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.
   8. Rights Granted by you: By entering this content you understand that Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, anyone acting on behalf of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, or its respective licensees, successors and assigns will have the right, where permitted by law, without any further notice, review or consent to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter in perpetuity and throughout the World, your entry, including, without limitation, the entry and winner's name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image or statements about the Sweepstakes, and biographical information as news, publicity or information and for trade, advertising, public relations and promotional purposes without any further compensation.
  
  
  9. Terms: Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition reserves the right, in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes should (in its sole discretion) a virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. In such case, Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition may select the recipients from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or website or violates these Terms & Conditions.
  
  
  Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Sweepstakes, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to; multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by sweepstakes rules; or the use of bots, macros or scripts or other technical means for entering.
  Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  
  By entering the Sweepstakes you agree to receive email newsletters periodically from Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. You can opt-out of receiving this communication at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the newsletter.
  10. Limitation of Liability: By entering you agree to release and hold harmless Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from (i) such entrant's participation in the sweepstakes and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof, (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunctioning of any computer, cable, network, hardware or software; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions or telephone or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error which may occur in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.
  
  
  11. Disputes: THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF [United States] AND Pennsylvania WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Sweepstakes, participant agrees that any and all disputes which cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Pennsylvania having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorneys' fees, other than participant's actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes), and participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.
  
  
  12. Privacy Policy:  By entering this content you understand that Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, anyone acting on behalf of Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, or its respective licensees, successors and assigns will have the right, where permitted by law, without any further notice, review or consent to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter in perpetuity and throughout the World, your entry, including, without limitation, the entry and winner's name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image or statements about the Sweepstakes, and biographical information as news, publicity or information and for trade, advertising, public relations and promotional purposes without any further compensation.
    
  13. Winners List: To obtain a copy of the winner's name or a copy of these Official Rules, visit lvbreastfeeding.blogspot.com.
  
  
  14. Sponsor:  The Sponsor of the Sweepstakes is Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition.
  
  
  
  

Why I Created lehighvalleybreastfeeding.com

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there and it does not occur in a vacuum. Every parent makes choices everyday that affect their family and are influenced by their circumstances. As parents, we worry if we are making the "right" choices  The choice of how to feed your children is among the most important choices you make and it is a choice that is revisited many times each day, every day, for years. I chose to breastfeed my children, not because of research on the benefits, or because of pressured from anyone, but because it works for me and my family. When I started, I never planned to tandem nurse a toddler and an infant. I never expected the pride I would feel at each well baby weight check or the joy I would experience at hearing the words "I love my mommy milk!" from a smiling, very toothy, toddler.

All parents need support. During my ongoing breastfeeding journey, I spent 8 months pumping while working full time as a teacher. I dealt with biting during teething. I donated to other mothers and babies. I struggled with getting my tiny baby to latch after his release from the NICU. Through all this, I was fortunate to have support from my husband, friends, and a few family members when I began my breastfeeding journey. I was VERY fortunate to have found (at the urging of my husband) an active and growing community of breastfeeding women and lactation supporters through LVHN's Monday Morning Moms and, later, La Leche League of Lehigh County.

As a first-time-mom, breastfeeding a newborn, there are so many things tha are different about your world. Suddenly, you are responsible for someone other than your self, in a way and to an extent that you've never been before. This tiny person needs you ALL THE TIME. You are tired. You are sore. You are anxious that you will do something wrong, or miss something important. You are home, feeling cut off from the world of work and socializing you are used to. You may be worrying about having to go back to work sooner than you'd like, or, if you've decided to stay home, worrying about how you'll be able to afford the reduction in income. You might be having trouble getting baby to latch. Maybe you are worried that baby is not gaining enough weight. Maybe your family and friends don't understand breastfeeding and suggest that you give formula. Maybe even your pediatrician or OB is suggesting formula or medications that might affect your milk supply.

Having a group of other moms who have been through or are going throughout similar experience can open up your world, reassure you, and give you comfort. Trained lactation supporters have the expertise in breastfeeding that many doctors and nurses don't. I have found all this, and more, through the support groups I attend. My first Monday Morning Moms meeting, I was welcomed by other moms, and invited to join a smaller group for lunch and walks in the park after the weekly meeting. I discovered that I wasn't the only mom feeling tired, stressed, anxious, and sore. I realized that even if my husband and family didn't completely understand what I was going through, they were trying to be supportive. I learned how to be better at asking for the support I needed to succeed at breastfeeding. I made new friends and got out of the house.

After I went back to work, I started attending monthly La Leche League meetings in the evenings. Again, I found the support, socialization, and sympathy I needed to keep going with breastfeeding and pumping. As my baby grew teeth, started solid foods, and gradually became a toddler, I had a place to turn to for suggestions on how to deal with challenging behavior, shifting sleep patterns, and other new stresses. When I discovered I was pregnant again, I had questions about the decision to keep breastfeeding or not. By this time, I had well surpassed my expectation of how long I'd breastfeed and knew that I could stop at anytime, but did not want to until my child was ready. (Since many of you are wondering, nursing a toddler is NOT like nursing a newborn. It is more of a snuggle and reconnect while reading a book or a quick snack between crazy rampages around the house or a tearful comforting after crashing into a piece of furniture.) I had a safe place to vent my emotions about the complications that developed (totally unrelated to breastfeeding) during my second pregnancy and continue to impact my new baby's health. I consulted with a La Leche League Leader and IBCLC throughout my medically recommended induction, my recovery and pumping of colostrum, and my frequent trips to the NICU for feedings. She helped me identify that our problems with latching were due to tongue and lip ties and offered suggestions on how to remedy the difficulties we were having. I also got to share the joy and relief I felt when those interventions worked and I was able to tandem nurse both my baby and my toddler without our previous difficulties. I don't know if I would have gotten through all this as well as I did without the kindness and support of the moms I met and friends I made.

The Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition is a collaboration of hospital staff, trained lactation supporters, community members, business owners, and parents interested in supporting mothers who  want to breastfeed. I joined the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition and created lehighvalleybreastfeeding.com because was interested in helping support other mothers on their breastfeeding journeys. I think that my experiences of breastfeeding while pregnant, breastfeeding a toddler, and my difficulties with my second child have generated more desire in me to help others find the support they need to succeed on their breastfeeding journeys. Each one will be different. But whether you hope to breastfeed for 2 days, 2 months, or 2 years, we're here to support you. If your journey includes pumping, donor milk, or supplemental formula, we're here to support you. If  your journey includes one child, multiple children, or an adopted child, we're here to support you. And when you want to get out of the house, but are unsure of nursing in public, we are here to support  you.


Alyssa Mierta is an engineer-turned-science teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom of two boys. She tries to stay sane by volunteering and helping others, whatever their goals are. You can find other writing by her at AwesomeCrazyDoingStuff.blogspot.com