Watch Wednesday “The GIFT of an Ordinary Day”

Cherish your ordinary days with your babies and little ones now. Enjoy all the moments.
I just watched this on YouTube. Katrina Kenison reads to a group from her book… a mother’s memior “The GIFT of an Ordinary Day” with music played by her son.
Since all my children are grown, it speaks to me as she wrote it. You may get a glimpse of your future feelings.
Very well done..
ENJOY !
(sob sob……)

For Expectant Families… your “Due Date”…

Hi everyone! Happy New Year!

I have been very very busy over these past months and I’ve spent very little time on the computer….. many of you have had the same situation. Thanks to all of you who keep checking my blog anyway!

I’m here now to talk about one of my big concerns.

Your due date…

Every single year around the holidays, we have a surge of elective, social induction requests.  Here are some comments we occasionally may hear each year around this time on an L&D unit:

“Please, please induce me so I can have the baby and be home for Christmas…please!”

“I’m only 2 1/2 weeks from my due date anyway so I’m ready…”

“I can’t have this baby on Christmas day..I just can’t…you HAVE to help me!!”

“I’m so tired of being pregnant and I have so much to do…can’t you do SOMETHING and make me have this baby today??” (37weeks)

“I really really need another tax deduction this year… ” (heard quite often!)

“Please do something so this baby is born by the end of December…I’ll even have a C/S if you want.”

“Can you induce me while my family is all here?? Please??”

Young pregnant women~ Please don’t do something crazy for a special delivery date.

Please!

Please educate yourself about the risks of induction and the risks of late preterm births.

PATIENCE

“A little patience now adds up to long-term health benefits for your new baby.”

I have received this following information from the Mother-Friendly childbirth community.

I felt it was well worth sharing……..

This is an excerpt from a newsletter from the CIMS ~ Coalition for Improving Maternity Services.

Please read, check out their website link above and the other resources listed below the letter.

Thanks so much!

“For Expectant Families

What you need to know about your due date and late preterm birth

A little patience now adds up to long-term health benefits for your new baby.

You’re not alone if you’re secretly (or openly!) hoping that your baby will get here sooner rather than later.  But when it comes to your due date, it’s important to understand what it represents, what it does not represent, and the potentially serious consequences of agreeing to an induction or c-section before your baby is ready to be born.

Mayri Sagady Leslie, CNM, MSN, clinical faculty at Yale University School of Nursing, recently penned an insightful post for Lamaze International’s Science and Sensibility blog.  In “Beyond Due Dates: How Late is Too Late,” we’re reminded that, despite widespread belief that EDD stands for ‘due date’, it actually stands for ‘estimated date of delivery’!  Mayri writes, “No matter what you call that date on the calendar, it is nothing more than a formula derived from statistical averages which says that sometime within a range of 4-5 weeks your baby will probably be born.  Smack dab in the middle of that range is one of days on which the labor may start.  Yet when it comes to dates in our life, few take on more significance than this one.”

Appreciating this fact is something of considerable consequence when it comes to the immediate and long-term health of your baby.  There is mounting evidence that only the baby should have the right to choose her/his birthday.  Two recent reports add to this evidence.

The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics recently reported a 20% increase in the nation’s late preterm (34 to 36 weeks ) birth rate from 1990 to 2006.  The report also cites alarming increases in the number of late preterm births among births for which labor was induced as well as among births that were delivered by c-section.  The report cautions, “…it is becoming increasingly recognized that infants born late preterm are less healthy than infants born later in pregnancy.  Late preterm babies are more likely than term babies to suffer complications at birth such as respiratory distress; to require intensive and prolonged hospitalization; to incur higher medical costs; to die within the first year of life; and to suffer brain injury that can result in long-term neurodevelopment problems.”

For the March of Dimes, prematurity is an extremely important public health issue.  The March of Dimes launched a multimillion dollar, multiyear campaign in 2003 to prevent premature birth and raise awareness of its serious consequences.  Last month, the March of Dimes released its annual Premature Birth Report Card.  Sadly, for the second consecutive year, the U.S. earned only a ‘D’ grade, “demonstrating that more than half a million of our nation’s newborns didn’t get the healthy start they deserved.”

We know you’re anxious to meet your baby.  It’s perfectly understandable too if you’re just plain tired of being pregnant.  We just want to remind you that a little patience now adds up to long-term health benefits for your new baby.

Learn more:

“Beyond Due Dates: How Late is Too Late” by Mayri Sagady Leslie on Lamaze International’s Science & Sensibility blog.

“Born a Bit Too Early: Recent Trends in Late Preterm Births” a NCHS Data Brief from the CDC.

“U.S. Gets A “D” For Preterm Birth Rate“ press release from the March of Dimes.”

Watch Wednesday “Pink Glove Dance” Spread the word!

Breast Cancer Awareness

This is a FUN video to watch as you see one facilities efforts to increase awareness in their community and all over the country. It has over 2 million hits on YouTube!

Put a smile on your face while you watch and keep spreading the word!

October is over~however…

The work to increase awareness

and

spread the word of the importance of

early Breast Cancer detection and treatment continues.

Oh yeah… and I want to work there!

It’s my Birthday~ It’s my Birthday

Age is

Mind over Matter

If you don’t Mind…..it doesn’t Matter!!

Found some beautiful photos thru an email to share….

America Scores a “D” on the Premature Birth Report Card

_ Hello Everyone I haven’t disappeared… I’ve just been too busy outside for computer time! This is a copy of a letter I received today trying to spread the word about Prematurity in this country…… Today is the release of the second annual Premature Birth Report Card, and I wanted you to hear the news from me: America receives a “D.” As a country, we are failing to give our babies the healthy start they deserve. Your state has received its own report card. I’m afraid you’ll agree we have a long way to go. In fact, before the end of this year, more than half a million babies will be born too soon, some very sick. It’s Prematurity Awareness Day® — the day when we’re all focused on the terrible toll of premature birth on babies and families. The report card reminds us how urgent the problem is. But with the support of people like you, we can continue to fund lifesaving research and programs. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll visit our Web site and join the fight for preemies. Warmly, Dr. Jennifer L. Howse President

Our Cesarean Section Rates still Below the National Average

I had checked out a post by Jill from Unnecesarean reviewing ICAN’s Press release on the rising Cesarean Rate and how mom’s really don’t realize or recognize how they can reduce their risk for a surgical delivery. It is very good informative post. It’s just totally shameful and pathetic that one third of our nation’s babies are brought in to this world with a surgical delivery! I’ve been present for thousands of births. I remember when the doctors were under pressure to keep their C/S rates down under 20%!! They had to go under peer review when they hit individual rates over 16%. Those days are over.

I have seen many different changes in the field of obstetrics, I am embarrassed that our national rates are now this high! I don’t feel that this is an advancement in maternal fetal obstetrical care. It feels like such a cop out most of the time when you are there in the trenches experiencing the “call” for a C/S time after time for “failure to progress”; “failure to descend”; “arrest of dilitation” etc…etc..

I came across the perinatal statistics and thought I’d share.

Here are our Actual Cesarean Section Rates so far this year January thru September

for nearly 750 births:

• Total C-Section Rate =   25.8% (monthly range 16.9% to 34.4%)
• Primary C-Section Rate =  16.4%  (monthly range 12.5% to 23.6%)
• Primary Rate in labor =    13.4%  (monthly range 8.9%  to 20.0%)

Our average is about a quarter of the births falling below the national average of a third… for now. Can we keep this up?? I hope so. I really hope so. I hope we can even lower it! With a NICU coming in and sicker patients to go along with that… I am hopeful to just keep it where it is. I will do my best to help educate women, co-workers and the doctors I work with.

Funny Breastfeeding Cartoons for Wordless Wednesday

More Breastfeeding Cartoons by Neil

for Wordless Wednesday!

These cartoons were purchased nearly 20 years ago for slide presentations and breastfeeding education.

We Deliver? How about we make it a better delivery?

permission from CartoonStock

Our Maternity Services

Need Help!

The Maternal Child care delivery system in this country as a whole needs vast improvement. All of these 10 steps as well as the 10 steps to ensure optimal successful  breastfeeding are very important.

These items are sadly grossly misconstrued or ignored by many facilities offering maternity services in this country. I have been having the same discussions and occasional arguments with co-workers  lately on this battle of the newborn baby staying in the moms room overnight!!! I know~ it is a no brainer to those of you who read, research and understand. Many of my co-workers still defend their philosophy that the baby needs to come into the nursery at night so the mom can sleep!!  Many argue with me about labor positions and inductions!! AARRGGHH! I won’t get into our details right now…….

What I have here for you today is NOT new info but I recently reviewed it again as I was searching for evidence to back my discussions with staff. If you haven’t placed this information in your workplace to nudge some resistant peers, I urge you to do so!

This document : THE COALITION FOR IMPROVING MATERNITY SERVICES:
EVIDENCE BASIS FOR THE TEN STEPS OF MOTHER-FRIENDLY CARE can show you research studies or data which support the ten steps below.

The 10 steps for Mother-Friendly Care from CIMS {Coalition for Improving Maternity Services} taken from their website…..are:

Ten Steps of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative
For Mother-Friendly Hospitals, Birth Centers,* and Home Birth Services

To receive CIMS designation as “mother-friendly,” a hospital, birth center, or home birth service must carry out the above philosophical principles by fulfilling the Ten Steps of Mother-Friendly Care.

A mother-friendly hospital, birth center, or home birth service:

1. Offers all birthing mothers:
   • Unrestricted access to the birth companions of her choice, including fathers, partners, children, family members, and friends;
   • Unrestricted access to continuous emotional and physical support from a skilled woman—for example, a doula,* or labor-support professional;
   • Access to professional midwifery care.
2. Provides accurate descriptive and statistical information to the public about its practices and procedures for birth care, including measures of interventions and outcomes.
3. Provides culturally competent care—that is, care that is sensitive and responsive to the specific beliefs, values, and customs of the mother’s ethnicity and religion.
4. Provides the birthing woman with the freedom to walk, move about, and assume the positions of her choice during labor and birth (unless restriction is specifically required to correct a complication), and discourages the use of the lithotomy (flat on back with legs elevated) position.
5. Has clearly defined policies and procedures for:
   • collaborating and consulting throughout the perinatal period with other maternity services, including communicating with the original caregiver when transfer from one birth site to another is necessary;
   • linking the mother and baby to appropriate community resources, including prenatal and post-discharge follow-up and breastfeeding support.
6. Does not routinely employ practices and procedures that are unsupported by scientific evidence, including but not limited to the following:
   • shaving;
   • enemas;
   • IVs (intravenous drip);
   • withholding nourishment or water;
   • early rupture of membranes*;
   • electronic fetal monitoring;
   • Has an induction* rate of 10% or less;†
   • Has an episiotomy* rate of 20% or less, with a goal of 5% or less;
   • Has a total cesarean rate of 10% or less in community hospitals, and 15% or less in tertiary care (high-risk) hospitals;
   • Has a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) rate of 60% or more with a goal of 75% or more.

other interventions are limited as follows:

7. Educates staff in non-drug methods of pain relief, and does not promote the use of analgesic or anesthetic drugs not specifically required to correct a complication.
8. Encourages all mothers and families, including those with sick or premature newborns or infants with congenital problems, to touch, hold, breastfeed, and care for their babies to the extent compatible with their conditions.
9. Discourages non-religious circumcision of the newborn.
10. Strives to achieve the WHO-UNICEF “Ten Steps of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative” to promote successful breastfeeding:
    1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff;
    2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy;
    3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding;
    4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth;
    5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants;
    6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated;
    7. Practice rooming in: allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day;
    8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand;
    9. Give no artificial teat or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants;
    10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from hospitals or clinics

† This criterion is presently under review.

I endorse these steps. You can visit their website to also endorse.

Kathy from Woman to Woman Childbirth Education wrote about the CIMS press release on the Need for Transparency regarding the rising C/S rates. Excellent information is discussed here by the CIMS and I enjoyed the discussion between Kathy and RealityRounds.

I also would urge you all to visit and give information to The Birth Survey.

How is your birth place measuring up to these initiatives?

Let’s all continue to make this a better world

in which to give birth!!

**ROAR** on Breastfeeding Guilt

(Image found at Google Images)

**ROAR**

The Mommy Wars over feeding babies continue..I guess it won’t ever be truly over. I’ve been following a discussion over at NursingBirth on  “Why Educating Our patients is a Professional Responsibility and Not about Guilt.”

I thank her for quoting me and including thoughts I wrote on what I have learned over the years talking to, educating and helping mothers.

I have re-posted this earlier segment  “Breastfeeding, Bottle-feeding and Somewhere In-between… Why the Guilt?” This post is about what I have learned speaking from a professional point of view. As a professional, it is inappropriate for any of us to imply directly or indirectly to any mother trying to make feeding choices that breastfeeding and formula feeding are equal.  They are not. Human milk is the superior species-specific food for Human infants. The recommended feeding hierarchy from the experts (AAP,CDC, WHO) is Breastfeeding, expressed mother’s milk, expressed donor milk then properly prepared infant formula. That’s why NursingBirth’s post is so important to understand. Reading the comments……

There are STILL moms out there confusing the issue.

All or most of this discussion is NOT directed at any mother who tried to breastfeed under any circumstance and wasn’t able to at all or wasn’t able to fulfill her individual goals. I applaud all your efforts for trying to give your baby the best food you could. I am so sorry that you experienced the difficulties you have. Your situation is not what this discussion is about. I think it’s very possible that advocates and some professionals lack sufficient skills to help you deal with the loss of a breastfeeding relationship. If breastfeeding is important to you then you would truly go through a grieving process and guilt would most likely come into play somewhere along the line. We do that to ourselves a lot as women anyway. I did personally experience that guilt. I had wanted to breastfeed my last baby for a full year and was unable to because of personal health problems. I had a lot of guilt. This discussion is NOT about these situations. Let’s stop making it about that. Please!

This mommy war guilt discussion as I see it is one where a mother who chooses to formula feed defends her choice and lays claim that those who are promoting or advocating breastfeeding make her feel guilty.

Guilt comes from within an individual if they feel they haven’t done what they “should” or wanted to. Guilt is a very strong emotion. NursingBirth has a great description of guilt as does The Feminist Breeder in “Mommy Guilt- Its all about Perspective.” It would be a good idea for guilt-ridden moms to read these articles. Those professionals or advocates who I have mentioned here or in my re-post are trying to do a good job of making sure people have the information to make educated decisions about health care issues.  Any professional who intentionally tries to make a mother feel guilty isn’t being very professional. If there is an advocate out there continually finding moms feeling guilty, perhaps you should change how you deliver the message. I said in this earlier post about how one single word can make a difference:

“She needs to be comfortable and confident with her decision. Perhaps her guilt comes from how one single little word or sentence was said, even if what was said is accurate and true. Perhaps her guilt is coming from her own internal struggles. I don’t know.  She needs to come to terms with that herself,  and not punish herself and or publicly criticize the advocates saying they are causing the guilt.  Although there are some very zealous advocates out there, I feel in my heart they are not trying to make any individual mother feel guilty. I read a comment from a mom somewhere that said something like… “perhaps if moms knew it wasn’t all or nothing, maybe more would try breastfeeding.”  My first thought was..why do they even think that..are there really mom’s who feel it has to be all or nothing? Is this causing the guilt because they don’t think they can breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months as the experts recommend??”

None of this changes the facts. Like it or not, breastfeeding is and will continue to be a major Public health Issue to the point of a public health crisis! As professionals and advocates, our work is not finished. I think sometimes that those speaking out against advocates get in the way of facts and put their personal opinions or views out in front and totally distort the issue. I read on someones blog this week (TFB) a great quote by Daniel P. Moynihan: “You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.” and I loved it!

According to this article from the American Journal of Public Health:

“Today’s medical community recognizes what their
predecessors knew a century ago—that the
American propensity to shun human milk is
a public health problem and should
be exposed as such.”

I am still going to promote breastfeeding. I am still going to provide appropriate factual information to the mothers in my care and support whatever feeding decision they make. I will never be pushy. I will gently encourage those on the fence to give breastfeeding a try. I always support the mother.

But more people need to talk about the importance of breastfeeding.

Because it is

Important.

Don’t be guilty

Stop it

*ROAR*

Repost~ The Guilt trip~ Breastfeeding, Bottle-Feeding and…. Somewhere In-between…. Why the Guilt?

There has been so much discussion circulating in the blogosphere right now about breastfeeding.  I thought I’d add my 2 cents because….I have an opinion and….. I have just a little experience in this field both in study (2 year Lactation course, IBCLC for 10 years, current CLC) and in practice (35 years).

I thought I knew so much in 1988 after nursing 3 babies and assisting others for nearly 15 years. I actually thought I could just take the IBLCE exam based on my experience!

I was so ignorant and naïve!

I started to talk to some IBCLC’s and my eyes were opened wide to the real world. Up to that point, at that time, (I sadly and guiltily admit) I had no idea about the volume of study and research in the field of lactation. I had NO idea just how wrong we were doing things at my hospital.

I launched into a lactation course, soaking up all I could, 3 years of study preparing for certification. I set out to change the world… at least my world. I wrote big proposals for the hospital. I applied for grants to fund a lactation program. I developed education competencies for the staff. I started breastfeeding classes. I thought everybody shared my passion, that they too would want to learn …. because I was right!!

Instead I was the target of all the boob jokes you could think of and I had almost no support. My ideas were rejected left and right.

Long story short…it took me a long time to come to terms with accepting small changes, taking baby steps…..continuing to do the best job I could with each mother-baby couple and to keep a positive outlook. I needed to remain realistic about how much I could actually accomplish one step at a time. Slowly I began to have people under my wing trying to learn. Yeah!

I learned a lot about how to approach physicians, co-workers, managers and most of all …. mothers.

I am not an expert in journalism or critical analysis so this is my opinion of what is going on right now.

There have been some irresponsible journalists, those who have a bigger platform than most of us, writing negatively about something they have not studied or truly researched. They are expressing their opinion and including an emotional component which has, in my opinion, gotten the reaction they hoped for from breastfeeding advocates as well as those who concur with the authors. More hits, more readers. I feel they have twisted the facts to benefit or support a point they want to make. I read some of them.. other’s I really just scanned then brushed off so I don’t know everything that’s been said. On the positive side, these articles possibly give us a larger platform to provide correct information to a larger public in reply.

I read a lot of blogs and I really respect and admire all the research that many breastfeeding advocates put into their fabulous posts. These are educated women who are trying to provide current accurate information! (@phdinparenting, @bfmom, @MommyNews , @JakeAryehMarcus, @blacktating ,@AmberStrocel, and so many more). I applaud their passion and breastfeeding advocacy. They are doing a very important job. Breastfeeding IS very important and deserves advocacy, protection and support! There are still large scores of women out there making choices with only tiny bits of information, who really do not know the important benefits of breastfeeding. It is because of this, and because we still haven’t met the US Dept HHS Healthy People Goals for 2010, that breastfeeding advocacy needs to continue. I have been there, advocating in a time where I faced great adversity and a lot of negativity. I am bothered that it still exists…and exists now in so many new ways.

I am more disturbed that some mother’s out there are upset. I always try to understand just WHY a mom feels guilty if she chooses to formula feed or do some combination of formula and breastfeeding. I always hope she’s made her choice with good information and that it is her own true choice. Then good for her! I am not to judge. She needs to be comfortable and confident with her decision. Perhaps her guilt comes from how one single little word or sentence was said, even if what was said is accurate and true. Perhaps her guilt is coming from her own internal struggles. I don’t know.  She needs to come to terms with that herself,  and not punish herself and or publicly criticize the advocates saying they are causing the guilt.  Although there are some very zealous advocates out there, I feel in my heart they are not trying to make any individual mother feel guilty. I read a comment from a mom somewhere that said something like… “perhaps if moms knew it wasn’t all or nothing, maybe more would try breastfeeding.”  My first thought was..why do they even think that..are there really mom’s who feel it has to be all or nothing? Is this causing the guilt because they don’t think they can breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months as the experts recommend??

Over the years, I have learned this:

• It is inappropriate for a health care professional to indicate to a mother directly or indirectly that formula feeding and breastfeeding are equal. Human breast milk is the superior food for human infants. Properly prepared infant formula is an acceptable substitute for those who cannot or choose not to breastfeed.
• The first approach is probably the number one factor in gaining a mother’s interest in what you have to say.
• The education process to a mother needs to be in small doses, sensitive to her unique learning abilities, her cultural beliefs and practices and most importantly, her choices and individual breastfeeding goals.
• With that in mind, try to provide her with the information she needs to make her decision.
• Never overestimate a mother’s desire to breastfeed her infant.
• Never underestimate a mother’s desire to breastfeed her infant.
• Listen to the mother; help her define her true desires and goals.
• Many times, the first question she asks may not be what she really wants to ask.
• The mother’s individual breastfeeding goals, how she defines them, how important they are to her and how she relates them to her actual breastfeeding experience all help define how she measures success.
• Support the mother, support the mother, and support the mother.

Here are the top 3 responses to the feeding choice question pertaining to breastfeeding at my facility on admission:

• “Breast and Bottle”
• “I’m going to do both”
• “I’m going to ‘try’ to breastfeed”

To each of these I respond very positively with something like… “Great! Tell me what you’ve learned about breastfeeding.”     I will then ask the mom a few questions to somehow find out her true wishes.

Then I say  “We will support and honor however you wish to feed your baby.  I’d like to give you some information so you can really understand and then tell us what you’d like to do.”

I explain some things,  i.e.: how the milk production works, the importance of early feeds etc.. and how formula introduced at that time could  interfere with the process of production, the baby’s ability to latch properly and so on… I usually end with..”We usually recommend to  focus on breastfeeding for now and then offer bottles later after milk supply is established if that is how you’d still like to manage feeding”. ETC…ETC….  Here’s what I then see:

• There have been so many mom’s who — after a little  bit of information decide they would like to focus on breastfeeding. There have been many who totally fell in love with it.
• There have also been many who really didn’t want to breastfeed after one single feeding.
• There are many many still that like to breastfeed and bottle feed in combination right from the start. If they have the right info and understand how things may progress… I still say “Good for you!”
• I have seen many continue that way for months and they are very happy with that.
• I’ve seen many mom’s “partially” ( I don’t like to say it that way) breastfeed and feel very proud. I say “good for you!”  They don’t think of it in terms of “exclusive” or “partial”… It’s more like any breast at all…. is breastfeeding vs. no breastfeeding at all.
• There have been many who also never wanted to try until all of a sudden they see milk leaking!
• I’ve worked with mom’s where I can see tremendous improvement in her situation, I think she’s going to keep going…but she decides to totally quit. I simply praise her for all her efforts and help her feel proud of herself.
• I’ve worked with mom’s who have hardly put forth any effort to overcome small obstacles, I think they will probably quit outright… Then..I find out they are the ones exclusively breastfeeding down the road.

I got a comment from a breastfeeding mom @TheFeministBreeder that I absolutely have to share. She describes her own experience in the full comment and on her new blog post.  She comments:

“Yes, I think that’s the most important part – informing a mother of any and ALL benefits/risks to supplementing, and helping them work through the option they choose.  But to tell a mother to supplement without explaining that it could undermine her efforts is just plain mean.  And too many medpros are doing it.  I’m glad there are more nurses like you who will give out the real information to empower a woman to make her own choice.  My smart friend always says ‘It’s not really a choice if you don’t have all the information.’ “

For those mom’s really trying to breastfeed and struggling, there’s more than I can say right here to cover that. I’m sorry for your struggles and hope it gets easier for you. It is important to have a skilled competent support person assisting you who listens thoughtfully and helps you get to the root of your problem… and helps you define and realize your goals. If you are experiencing guilt from your struggles or from not being able to fulfill your goals, desires to breastfeed….I think that kind of guilt is different from what I’m trying to discuss here. I am not a an expert on that. It is valuable to get the best help out there that you can as soon as possible.

I’m adding this after reading some comments on other blogs.. When approaching a mom to observe or assist with the latch process…. Permission is a must! I ALWAYS ask the mother if she would like any assistance with the latch or if  I may observe how well her baby is latching….. If that answer is yes… The next question is ALWAYS.. May I touch your breast? (if that needs to part of the process). I prefer to help moms by having the mom and BABY do the latch. I try to keep my hands out of it.  All nurses and LC’s should practice this. I am sorry for the mom’s who aren’t asked permission to be helped or touched.  :(

One of my favorite things I like to say to any breastfeeding mom is:

“Try not to make any final decision when it’s dark outside”.

On another note, regarding some reader comments on various blogs about public breastfeeding, a skimpy bikini or the bathing-suit issue of a favorite sports magazine show more skin in a provocative, sexy way than any mom breastfeeding. Even the movie stars in their gowns with plunging necklines are showing almost the entire breast! Somehow, that is OK. There are volumes of video footage and photos all over the place… even on billboards. It is sad that the public opinion of a baby breastfeeding (the most natural way for him to eat) is something that should be done in private … yet young girls are encouraged by media to bare more and more skin. Of course being discreet while feeding is important, but I can assure you, most girls in a tiny bikini are thinking more about “tacky exhibitionist behavior” than a mother breastfeeding her baby. Why aren’t law-makers focusing on any of that?