Here is a reminder that the new Rhode Island law protecting breastfeeding in public takes effect today, March 1, 2009. This law is in addition to the existing Rhode Island laws excluding breastfeeding mothers from disorderly conduct laws, and requiring employers to provide a safe, private place to breastfeed or pump.
The entire text of the enacted bill reads:
23-13.5-1. Breastfeeding in public places. – A woman may feed her child by bottle or breast in any place open to the public.
23-13.5-2. Remedies. – In any civil action alleging a violation of this chapter, the court may:
(1) Afford injunctive relief against any …read more

Are you participating in the Nestle-Free Week starting today, October 4, 2008? For more on the why and how of the Nestle Boycott and Nestle-Free Week in particular, visit Baby Milk Action’s Nestle-Free Week planning page.

Photo credit: rabble

Nicole is almost seven weeks old now and I’ve already breastfed her:
~ at the midwife’s and doctor’s offices
~ a wedding
~ a pool party
~ a La Leche League meeting (of course!)
~ in various parking lots
~ at the grocery store
~ while house hunting
~ and yesterday at the first PTA meeting of the school year.
For me, it is convenient to be breastfeeding. It means I can go anywhere, anytime, without having to think about whether I have enough supplies for the trip (as long as my purse is packed with enough diapers). And the best part is my baby is content in all …read more

I learned at The Twinkies today that Saint Giles is the patron saint of breastfeeding, and that September 1 is the feast day of Saint Giles. The Saints Index explains that Saint Giles led “a lifestyle so impoverished that, legend says, God sent a hind [an adult female red deer] to him to nourish him with her milk.” So the next time someone harasses you for breastfeeding in church, smile sweetly and tell them you are sure Saint Giles is smiling down upon you.

There is still plenty of time to sign up for the Breastfeeding Challenge 2008! So far there are 105 sites registered in five different countries (Canada, United States, France, Cyprus, and Luxembourg). Reminder details:
The Quintessence Foundation plans the 8th annual Breastfeeding Challenge, scheduled this year for October 11, 2008. Basically it’s a friendly competition to promote breastfeeding:
This fun event is a challenge for which geographic area (province, state or territory) has the most breastfeeding babies, as a percentage of the birthrate, “latched on” at 11am local time.
Last year’s event involved 5,383 babies at 230 sites across Canada and the United …read more

In breastfeeding terminology, a baby’s “frenulum” is the membrane that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. A short frenulum is called tongue-tie (technically, “ankyloglossia”), and tongue-tie can interfere with successful breastfeeding. There remains controversy among medical and lactation professionals about whether or not a short frenulum should be surgically clipped.
For more information on tongue-tie, see:
~ AskDrSears.com
~ DrGreene.com
~ Kellymom.com

Note to self: If you lean in to inspect a painful white spot on your nipple, and hand-express to see if it is a plugged duct, you might just get a squirt of breastmilk in the eye.

Photo credit: mjiscrazy

The controversy over the California Milk Processor Board’s objections to the “got breastmilk?” parody of the “got milk?” campaign got me thinking about human consumption of cow’s milk. Then I read an email on Lactnet that referred to cow’s milk as “bovine infant milk” and that really got me thinking.
~ Is it cruel and unethical to separate calves prematurely from their mothers in order for cows’ milk to be collected for human consumption? Do you have a moral objection to it? Do you also object to eating meat or wearing leather, or are those entirely different issues?
~ Are humans …read more