I just received this message and want to help get the message out there! Help us get the latest addition of the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding on the New York Times Best Seller list! Pass it on!

The all-new 8th Edition of the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, written by Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, and Teresa Pitman (yes, Canadian content!!) will be published on July 13th. We are encouraging people to pre-order copies if they are interested, because all pre-orders are counted on the day of publication, and if we get enough, we could get on the New York Times best-seller list. Wouldn’t it be great to have a breastfeeding book as a NYT best-seller??

 

If you do your pre-ordering through the Amazon.ca link on the La Leche League Canada website (www.lllc.ca), LLLC will get a percentage back for the books you order (including any OTHER books you buy at the same time - such as that novel you’ve been wanting to read on the beach this summer….)

Another article discussing obesity and infant feeding practices. There is a trend in the news lately!

(Reuters Health) - Babies who are bottle-fed early on may consume more calories later in infancy than babies who are exclusively breastfed, a study published Monday suggests.

Health

Researchers found that among 1,250 infants followed for the first year of life, those who were bottle-fed during their first six months — whether formula or pumped breast milk — showed less appetite “self-regulation” later in infancy.

The investigators say this so-called “bottle effect” could be one reason that studies have found a correlation between breastfeeding and a lower risk of childhood obesity.

In most research on the question of whether and how breastfeeding might protect against excessive weight gain, the focus has been on the components of breast milk. For instance, breast milk contains certain hormones, including leptin and adiponectin, which could help regulate infants’ appetite and metabolism.

But the new findings suggest that the way infants are fed also matters, lead researcher Dr. Ruowei Li, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview. That is, breastfeeding may encourage greater appetite self-regulation in the long term.

In this study, self-regulation was measured when the babies were 7, 9, 10 and 12 months old; mothers were asked how often their babies drank an entire bottle or cup of milk (formula or pumped breast milk).

Li’s team found that among infants who had been exclusively breastfed during their first six months, 27 percent always or usually finished their cup or bottle. That compared with 54 percent of babies who had been both breast- and bottle-fed, and 68 percent of those who had been bottle-fed only.

When the researchers accounted for a number of variables — like mothers’ weight and education, family income and race — bottle-feeding itself was still linked to lesser self-regulation later on in infancy.

Babies who had had more than two-thirds of their feedings via bottle in early infancy were twice as likely to routinely empty their milk cups as babies who’d had less than one-third of their feedings via bottle.

What’s more, the pattern was seen whether those early bottle-feedings contained formula or pumped breast milk.

Li pointed out that obesity is a complex matter, with factors ranging from genetic susceptibility to social and economic factors, to exercise habits all coming into the equation.

But bottle-feeding may be one controllable early-life factor, she said.

It’s not certain why breastfeeding might encourage better eating self-regulation. But Li explained that when infants breastfeed, they are in control of how much milk they consume; when parents bottle-feed, they may try to get the baby to empty the bottle each time. It’s possible that this interferes with infants’ innate ability to regulate their calorie intake in response to internal “appetite cues.”

Many women who breastfeed use a breast pump at some point, particularly after they return to work. Li suggested that parents who use bottles pay attention to cues that their baby is full — such as trying to push the bottle away with the tongue or shaking the head to move away from the bottle.

“You don’t have to push until the bottle is empty,” she said.

Further research, according to Li, is needed to see whether early bottle-feeding is associated with appetite self-regulation in older children as well.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, June 2010.

Read the original article online at Reuters.

The American government released a document discussing the problem of childhood obesity and recommendations for change. The report does have some info on breastfeeding!

B. Breastfeeding
Children who are breastfed are at reduced risk of obesity.77 Studies have found that the likelihood of obesity is 22% lower among children who were breastfed.78 The strongest effects were observed among adolescents, meaning that the obesity-reducing benefits of breastfeeding extend many years into a child’s life. Another study determined that the risk of becoming overweight was reduced by 4% for each month of breastfeeding.79 This effect plateaued after nine months of breastfeeding.
Despite these health benefits (*1), although most (74%) babies start out breastfeeding, within three months, two-thirds (67%) have already received formula or other supplements. By six months of age, only 43% are still breastfeeding at all, and less than one quarter (23%) are breastfed at least 12 months.80 In addition, there is a disparity between the prevalence of breastfeeding among non-Hispanic black infants and those in other racial or ethnic groups. For instance, a recent CDC study showed a difference of greater than 20 percentage points in 13 states.81

SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY

The protective effect of breastfeeding likely results from a combination of factors. First, infant formula contains nearly twice as much protein per serving as breast milk. This excess protein may stimulate insulin secretion in an unhealthy way.82 Second, the biological response to breast milk differs from that of formula. When feeding a baby, the mother’s milk prompts the baby’s liver to release a protein that helps regulate metabolism.83 Feeding formula instead of breast milk increases the baby’s concentrations of insulin in his or her blood, prolongs insulin response,84 and, even into childhood, is associated with unfavorable concentrations of leptin, a hormone that inhibits appetite and controls body fatness.85 Despite the well-known health benefits of breastfeeding and the preference of most pregnant women to breastfeed,86 numerous barriers make breastfeeding difficult. For first-time mothers, breastfeeding can be challenging, even for those who intend to breastfeed. For those who have less clear intent to breastfeed, cultural, social, or structural challenges can prevent breastfeeding initiation or continuation. For example, immediately after birth, many babies are unnecessarily given formula and separated from their mothers, making it harder to start and practice breastfeeding. Also, hospital staff are often insufficiently trained in breastfeeding support.
The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals, the body that accredits hospitals and health care organizations for most State Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement, now expects hospitals to track and improve their rates of exclusive breastfeeding. Hospitals that meet specific criteria for optimal breastfeeding-related maternity care are designated as “Baby Friendly” by Baby-Friendly U.S.A. This non-governmental organization has been named by the U.S. Committee for UNICEF as the designating authority for UNICEF/WHO standards in the United States. Currently only 3% of births in America occur in Baby-Friendly facilities.87

While breastfeeding could be far more widespread than it is today, it is not a viable alternative for all mothers and babies. Specific guidance and support options should also be made available for those who cannot breastfeed. (*2) Parents and caregivers of babies also may benefit from guidance about when to start feeding them solid foods, since early introduction of solids (prior to six months) increases the risk for childhood obesity.

You can download the entire document as a PDF to read the entire report. It is worth the read.

The Canadian PressTORONTO — New mothers in Ontario are inundated with baby formula by companies, which makes it even more difficult to convince women to continue to breastfeed their babies, advocacy groups said Wednesday.

The Ontario Breastfeeding Committee, the Registered Nurses’ Association, midwives and pediatricians want the Ontario government to develop a breastfeeding strategy for use in all hospitals.

They also want the province to stop companies from direct marketing formula to new moms as soon as they leave the hospital.

The Newman Breastfeeding Clinic, which has sites in Toronto and Aliston, Ont., sees thousands of new moms each year and is amazed at how many end up getting free formula sent to them, even when they haven’t signed up for such products, said Edith Kernerman.

“We really wonder how they get those names,” said Kernerman, who is also president of the Lactation Consultants Association of Ontario.

“They say ‘I didn’t sign up for anything, I don’t know how I got it.”‘

Marketing formula

New Democrat France Gelinas also wants to know how companies that make baby formula manage to get the names and addresses of new moms, and said the direct marketing to them should be stopped.

“Our health care system is not there to support the (mothers), but the formula companies are ready to push their products on new moms,” said Gelinas.

“In the absence of regulations, new moms are being targeted by companies who are inundating them with these products.”

Neither Health Minister Deb Matthews nor Health Promotion Minister Margarett Best could say how the companies manage to get the names of new moms. Matthews promised to look into it, but Best rejected the idea of a ban on direct marketing of formula to new mothers.

“I think people have the right to make decisions on their own, but I think it’s important that they be able to make informed decisions,” said Best.

“Breastfeeding is very important for infants’ health and for mothers to bond with their children.”

Progressive Conservative critic Lisa MacLeod said she finds the direct marketing of formula to new moms to be invasive.

“It’s nice if you fill out a form to receive some products that you might want to try, but if these people are sending these things (unsolicited) … we ought to find a way to prevent that from happening,” said MacLeod.

Moms and breastfeeding

Studies show 97 per cent of new mothers want to breastfeed, but in Ontario only 60 per cent are still doing it a few days after the birth, and that number falls to just 15 per cent within six months, a figure Kernerman called appalling.

“Ontario hospitals are not doing enough to allow this process to happen naturally and easily,” she said. “The learned part of this is not taught, so mothers are left literally scrambling.”

Breastfeeding wasn’t as easy as expected, said Courtney Fairbrother, a new mom who brought her infant daughter, Molly, to a news conference at the Ontario legislature.

“I thought it would be very natural and it wasn’t really,” said Fairbrother. “I definitely could have used more support in the days following Molly’s birth. I can certainly see that you would definitely want to turn to something else.”

The advocates admit formula can look like an easy alternative to moms who are struggling to breastfeed, but said there’s a lot of evidence to show it is clearly not as good for the newborn baby as mother’s milk.

They said new mothers are often given wrong information about breastfeeding by doctors and nurses, and complain many Ontario hospitals have closed their breastfeeding clinics.

Read the original article online at CTV.

Another article on the need for a provincial breastfeeding strategy.

 The Star

Doctors say breast is best but Ontario new moms usually give up when baby is 6 months old.

Ontario needs a breastfeeding strategy to help new moms nourish their infants for longer periods, advocates say. And they point to direct marketing of baby formula to families as a roadblock to the natural alternative.

From day one, women are told breastfeeding is best, says Lori Levere of the Ontario Breast Feeding Committee. In Ontario 88 per cent of women will initiate it at birth, but six months later only 15.8 per cent are doing it exclusively.

A coalition of breastfeeding advocates from the committee to the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute and the NDP say the Ontario government needs to form a provincial strategy to create healthier babies. Studies show breastfed babies spend less time in the health-care system, they say. A strategy would designate a provincial coordinator to promote and support breastfeeding in hospitals and clinics.

“This can be done right here and now. It doesn’t cost much. Everyone in the health care system supports it,” said New Democrat MPP France Gelinas (Nickel Belt) at a Queen’s Park press conference Wednesday.

New mother Courtney Fairbrother thought breastfeeding her newborn Molly would be easy and painless. “It wasn’t what I’d imagine it to be,” said Fairbrother, who came to the Legislature with her daughter Molly to support the call for a provincial strategy. “It was painful. I found it difficult. It was so painful I couldn’t handle her to latch one more time.”

Fairbrother sought help from her midwives but said she could have used “additional help” at home in the days following Molly’s birth. Fairbrother added she can see how some women start off with good intentions but give up out of frustration. “You would definitely want to turn to something else, I could see that,” said Fairbrother, who persevered. She’s still breastfeeding Molly, now 7 months old.

Ontario has a patchwork of services and little support for breastfeeding, said Gelinas, who added the province is one of two in Canada without a strategy.

A lack of support for new mothers, combined with formula companies using direct marketing to supply women with free samples, makes things worse, said Gelinas.

“This box of formula was sent to a new mom three months after the baby was born,” said Gelinas as she held up a box of formula. “How come they are allowed to direct market to moms? Our health-care system is not there to support them but the formula companies are ready to push their products on new moms.”

It’s the minister of health promotion’s responsibility to take action on this issue, she said. “This is not a political issue, it is the least we can do to support healthy children and healthy families.”

Minister of Health Promotion Margarett Best said she breastfed her children and is “certainly very supportive” of breastfeeding. She does not rule out a provincial strategy.

“We are certainly listening and we want to look at it in more details and proceed from there,” she told reporters. “Breastfeeding is important for infant’s health and for mothers to bond with their children.”

When asked how addresses of new mothers get out to formula companies, both Best and Health Minister Deb Matthews were not sure. Matthews said she’d look into it.

Read the original article online at The Star.

Worldwide news about breastfeeding from Kathy Abbott IBCLC, The Curious Lactivist.

 In the medical news, there was an interesting Canadian study that showed that the negative effects of giving your children fast food can erase some of the positive benefits of breastfeeding (Higher asthma rates linked to fast food.)  The rise of celiac disease in Sweden in the 1980’s has been tied to the recommendation at the time to wait before weaning to introduce gluten.  Weaning was early in those days and the amounts of gluten recommended were high.  And how it was wonderful to see an article about reducing pain during vaccinations recommending that the baby breastfeed during the inoculation!  I will always remember the story Diane Bagley once told me about her daughter Leah.  Leah was a still a young nursing toddler when she fell and cut her finger.  After no one could her to hold her hand still at the ER Diane insisted that they let her nurse her while they stitched her up.  The staff watched in amazement as Leah held out her tiny hand and nursed until the stitches were complete. (Diane by the way is the graphic designer for the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition – she did the wonderful “For All Walks of Life” campaign!)  

Read all the news on The Curious  Lactivist.

I have always said breastmilk is the wonderful, magical healing fluid, and it just keeps coming true. Last yuear they discover stem cewlls in breastmilk and now this!

Substance in Breast Milk Kills Cancer Cells, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2010) — A substance found in breast milk can kill cancer cells, reveal studies carried out by researchers at Lund University and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Although the special substance, known as HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumour cells), was discovered in breast milk several years ago, it is only now that it has been possible to test it on humans. Patients with cancer of the bladder who were treated with the substance excreted dead cancer cells in their urine after each treatment, which has given rise to hopes that it can be developed into medication for cancer care in the future.

Read the entire article in the Science Daily.

Worldwide news about breastfeeding from Kathy Abbott IBCLC, The Curious Lactivist.

This week’s news certainly had its share of titillation.  From a chef who serves his patrons a cheese made from his wife’s breast milk, the woman in jail who was charged with assault for squirting her milk at a guard, to the mother who admits to breastfeeding her 14 year old.  And let’s not forget that fashion show that Bravado (makers of nursing bras) held in Las Vegas where the pregnant models were banned from walking the runway.

Mixed in with the odd ball articles two very sad stories also caught my eye.  In the Philippines a 31 year old woman was shot dead while breastfeeding her one year old.  The baby was still suckling her breast when they found her.  And in Uganda authorities say they have no proof that a mother who says her husband forced her to breastfeed puppies is telling the truth.  Apparently the scars on her breast were believed to be the result of her epilepsy, and the testimony from her children (ages 5 & 2) was not to be taken seriously because they after all merely children. 

 There were several stories about breastfeeding and the workplace this week and none of it was very encouraging I’m afraid.  Although donating a handmade quilt to a local health department breastfeeding room was a nice gesture of support it appears that combining breastfeeding and work remains a struggle in many places.  Utah failed to pass a bill requiring workplaces to set aside space for breastfeeding.  In Oklahoma where they have a law allowing mothers to express milk at work (during unpaid time) there was no mandate to set aside space to do so.  Officially encouraging businesses to set aside space hasn’t worked either as only 26 offices now have a designated pumping space.  (I find it ironic that the title of this article was “Workplaces Nurture Nursing Moms”.) 

In “To Pump or Not to Pump?” a mother whose office had a designated pumping room explains the dilemma she found herself in when she found it difficult to accept a travel assignment that would have made it difficult to pump.   In Taipei a survey found that less than 4% of businesses had a breastfeeding room and that lack of space was one of the main reasons cited for not doing so.  They too are considering a bill requiring public offices to create such a space which, unlike Oklahoma the bill, includes a provision to fine those who don’t comply.

Read all the news on The Curious  Lactivist.

Did you know that your body will have an ample supply of milk in ther morning and a lower supply of milk in the evening? It may not be for the reason you think it is! Your breasts always have milk at the ready at every time of day, but mornings can be especially plentiful thanks to prolactin.

The levels of prolactin (a hormone which helps with breastilk production) are higher in the darker hours of the day which helps your body produce more milk overnight that it does during the day as long as you are still nursing your baby overnight. Making sure you feed your baby at least four times overnight, especially in the early days, can help increase your milk supply. As a working mom, you can take advantage of this morning supply by making sure you pump at least once mid-morning.

It can be quite a pain to pump at work. An unexpected meeting can set us off the pumping track, or we get caught up in our work and we just plain forget to pump. I always recommend setting a timer to remind you that’s time to pump. Try to pump for 20 minutes, or however long it takes to empty your breasts, mid-morning and again mid-afternoon. This will not only relieve the build-up of milk should your breasts feel full and uncomfortable, it will also help you keep up your milk supply. If your supply is low, you may need to pump more often throughout the day. Remember it’s all about supply and demand!

Mid-morning. Mid-afternoon. You can do it!

If you are preparing to go back to work, you are most likely wondering, or worrying, about how much breastmilk you need to have readily available in the freezer before your first day. If you have milk supply issues, this is probably an even greater worry. The answer? As much as you possibly can.

After the over-producing early days of new motherhood, I always had a good milk supply. I had breastmilksicles (freezer bags of breastmilk) filled to 4, 5 and 6 oz, stuffed in between the frozen peas and tortellini and sidled up next to the electrolyte replacement freezies.  Just beware not to fill those freezer bags to the very top line, sometimes those bags burst and it would be terribly upsetting to lose your milk. I always filled them to 4 or 5 oz, just to be safe.

 So how much do need? As much as your baby will drink during your work day. How much is that? Well, that differs from baby to baby. If you’re like me, you probably wish your breasts were clear with ounce markers engraved on them clearly indicating how much was in there and how much your baby drank. Alas, our breasts are not bottle appendages, so estimate by recommended averages.

An exclusively breastfed baby between 1-6 months needs approx 19-30 oz of breastmilk in a 24 hr period, which means approx 8-11 oz during your work day. At 12 mths and up, this amount will lean towards the lower end as solids replace some of the fluid intake, gbut they do need to stay hydrated, so 8 aim for 8 oz.

 So 8 oz per work day. I always recommend having at least 3-4 days worth of breastmilk in your freezer, or 24-32 oz. Today you’ll be pumping the milk your baby will drink tomorrow, so you will be replenishing the daycare stock with fresh milk everyday. The freezer supply is a safeguard for those days when supply runs low and you need a top-up, or for those nights out.

Stockpiling pointers:

• Try to have an estimate of how much milk your baby will need during your work day. If your baby has already been taking breastmilk by bottle during the day, you’ll have a good idea. If not, stick to the average of 8-11 oz.
• Try to have at least 3-4 days worth of breastmilk in your freezer, or 24-32 oz. Start pumping 2-3 weeks before your first day back at work. This will give you a good amount of time to build up the stockpile without stressing out about it.
• Bring at least one work day’s worth of milk to the daycare with your baby on your first day back to work. Ask your daycare provider to log your baby’s intake on paper each day, to be given to you when you pick up your baby at the end of the day. Be sure you are clear about what you would like them to do with the unused milk. Do you want them to save it and use it the next day? Send it home with you each evening?  It’s always good to let them know how you would like them to deal with half-finished bottles as well.