Tuesday, November 22, 2011

How to Find a Lactation Consultant Near You


Many people ask me, "I have a friend that lives in (another region/state/country), how can she find a lactation consultant near her?" The answer is simple. Thanks to the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) all anyone has to do is go to: www.ilca.org, click on "Find A Lactation Consultant" type in your city and ta-da!...a list of Board Certified Lactation Consultants near you!

And you can also search for lactation consultants by name...including...ME!

First person to look me up and post a comment to my blog with the words directly underneath my name will win a prize from my stash of breastfeeding goodies...

Friday, November 11, 2011

Celebrating Our Military Moms: Breastfeeding in Combat Boots

Today, in recognition of Veterans Day, I wanted to especially acknowledge the all the moms that have and are currently serving in the military.  I salute you for your double service to our country: serving in active duty and raising your family.  Many of our military moms are breastfeeding moms too, which comes with a whole different set of workplace challenges as they try to balance motherhood and their jobs. 

For our women in the military who wonder how will it be possible to breastfeed their child while on active duty, I offer you this resource:  http://breastfeedingincombatboots.com/

 
From the website: "The book and website have been created to offer a practical and field-tested guide that will help military mothers from all branches of the armed forces find the information and support to successfully breastfeed with confidence. Is it possible to work full time on active duty and still be there to nurture and nurse your baby? YES!"

My many thanks to all the women and men of our armed forces, past and present, for your commitment and sacrifice.  And especially to my cousin Jessica, serving in the Air Force, who is a wonderful new mom.  

May you all be kept safe.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Monthly MythBuster #1

Paying homage to one of my hubby's favorite shows, The Discovery Channel's "MythBusters," I've decided to introduce a new recurring post to my blog - the Monthly MythBuster, where I debunk the most common misconceptions about breastfeeding.  It'll be an evidence-based explanation mixed with some of my common sense and often humor-filled reasoning that I hope my readers will be encouraged to share with others.  Because, as we know, myths are usually spread by word of mouth and we can help bust them just the same.

Monthly MythBuster #1: Many Moms Can't Make Enough Milk for Their Baby

BUSTED. 

In fact, the percentage of women world-wide who are not able to produce enough milk for their baby is LESS THAN 1%. 

Yet, a majority of moms stop breastfeeding because they THINK they don't have enough milk.  As a mom, it seems like our "Mom" job description says we must worry about everything, and sometimes that worry is justified: Maybe baby is losing too much weight or gaining weight slowly.  If so, we should look for the reason why.  A common reason may be that baby is not getting a deep enough latch which makes it difficult for baby to transfer mom's milk.  Learning how to tell if your baby is latched properly; the sounds and signs that baby is actually drinking milk while at the breast; how baby's output (poops and pees) can tell you about how much they are taking in; and proper follow-up with your baby's healthcare provider, may help ease the worry.

As Dr. Sears says: "Breastfeeding is a confidence game, and nothing undermines a mother's confidence like being afraid her baby isn't getting enough milk."

To my readers: Please leave a comment with your suggestions for future Monthly MythBusters!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

It's OFFICIAL!




I've been on cloud 9 all weekend after finding out I PASSED my exam and am now officially an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant!

Huge THANKS has to go out first to my hubby, for all his encouragement and support as a true partner while I've worked towards this goal. And, I also could not have done this without the support of my family and friends, especially my son for being so flexible with Mommy's busy schedule, and my mother-in-law and my Dad for all the extra help taking care of my little guy so I could study, go to class and clinical. Plus, my girlfriends who listened as I endlessly spouted out all the new trivia about breastfeeding and cheered me on all along the way. I am forever grateful...

Stay tuned as I explore... "Now what?" and for a new regular post I'm adding to my blog: The Monthly Mythbuster...