Thelma and Louise? Lucy and Ethel?
Have you given your “girls” a nickname? Does your nursling have a special name for your breasts? My breasts — and I am sure the world really needs to know this — are called “mum-mums” (interestingly, the same as the name for nursing, “mum-mum,” while the breast milk is called “mum-mum milk,” as opposed to cow’s milk). As a child (long after I weaned) I called my mother’s breasts Mount Fujis!
Leave a comment and humor us with your own nicknames!

The Pregnancy Journal: A Day-to-Day Guide to a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy is the journal I have used to document each of my three pregnancies. I love the daily bits of information it shares and how easy it is to write short journal entries as my pregnancy progresses. Many of the daily tips pertain to breastfeeding. Here is one fun fact:
The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of breast milk is ideal for moving calcium into the baby’s skeleton and promoting growth. In addition, breast milk is low in sodium, and iron and zinc from breast milk is absorbed better than from cow’s milk.
- …read more

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres gave Christina Aguilera a gentle ribbing about the new mother’s amble bosom. “You look great. One question: Are you nursing?” Aguilera took the teasing well, replying, “I guess it’s a little obvious.” DeGeneres couldn’t help one last joke, “It’s going to be a healthy boy!” You can watch the clip on Ellen’s website.

“Ultrasound examination of the lactating breast during breastfeeding by Peter Hartmann’s research team in Perth, Australia has provided new information about what occurs within the breast during let-down (Kent 2002). This team has found the following after observing many mothers and babies during breastfeeding:
* On average 75 percent of the mothers had more than one let-down.
* The women had on average 2.2 let-downs per breast.
* The more let-downs a woman had, the more milk her baby received.
* Babies received on average 2 1/3 oz. (70 ml) of milk at a feeding and slightly more than one ounce (35 ml) per …read more

“Alveoli: Tiny milk-producing sacs that are arranged in clusters throughout the breast. Each breast has hundreds of alveoli. Once the milk is produced, it’s secreted into tube-shaped ducts that travel to the nipple.”
Source: whattoexpect.com

Well, if a woman can’t talk about her breasts on a breastfeeding blog…. I have to laugh at my own astonishment at my growing cup size. I thought after nursing two children (and still nursing through pregnancy) that my breasts had done all the “preparation for breastfeeding” that they were going to do, and they wouldn’t swell up quite as much this time around. No such luck though. My breasts are so tender and sensitive I don’t want anyone getting within 10 feet of them, and that includes me (which, as you can imagine, is a bit problematic). Nursing doesn’t …read more

These funny photos are making the rounds again. The toddler “appreciating art” by suckling the statue reminds me of my Barbie story!
Thanks to Hsien for passing on the giggles!

Breast self-examinations are an important tool for lactating women. Keep in mind the guidelines for doing an exam on lactating breasts. When you have a private moment and would like to see an example of how to perform a BSE, watch this video. The demonstration shows a live woman examining her naked breasts and thus may not be appropriate for watching at work or around children. Last time I checked, though, we’re all adults here.
VideoJug: How to Become Breast Self Aware
Should you and your doctor decide further testing is necessary, see X-Rays and Mammograms for Lactating Women.

These gift ideas run the gamut from free to $35, from practical to just plain fun. There’s something for every budget and every nursing mother, from the mother-to-be to the die-hard lactivist.

I love seeing your answers to the poll questions! Thank you voters! The next question relates to the upcoming Carnival of Breastfeeding: Gifts for the Nursing Mother, which takes place on Monday December 4. Please vote in the new poll in the sidebar: As a nursing mother, what gift did you love getting or would you love to get?
Here are the results from the last poll: Which best describes how you feel about nursing in public?

Clearly the results are biased on a breastfeeding blog, but I still find it very encouraging that the vast majority of respondents nurse in public …read more