What do you think about the petitions going around like this one and this one that ask eBay to ban the sale of used single-user breast pumps (not the kind that are intended for safe use by multiple users)? Previously I have pointed readers to the FDA’s breast pump website for information on the risk of contracting communicable diseases like HIV or hepatitis through the use of shared single-user breast pumps (and for tips on how to get help paying for a pump or pump rental). I know, though, that many women feel very strongly that the sale of used …read more

Welcome to the latest Carnival of Breastfeeding, where we have gathered together a collection of reviews of books and videos related to pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and parenting. To read all of the reviews, check out the links at the end of this post!
Before I could read Baby Matters, Revised 2nd Edition: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Caring for Your Baby, two breastfeeding women raved to me about the book. “Most doctors just tell you what they believe about baby care. This author tells you what she thinks and why. It has all the hard science behind attachment …read more

Is intelligence determined by nature or nurture? The latest breastfeeding study reveals that nature (genetic makeup) and nurture (breastfeeding) work together to develop a child’s IQ. In children with a particular variant of the FADS2 gene (as 90% of children have), breastfeeding increases intelligence. Breastfed children with the gene variant score an average of seven points higher on intelligence tests than their formula-fed counterparts. For a geneticist’s take on this news, read the clear explanation offered by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei at Eye on DNA.

This question came up recently when one of my friends had an emergency appendectomy. Personally I have used this question as a way to weed out (bad) doctors — unless they give me the correct answer or say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out for you,” they’re history. For the expert answer to whether general anesthesia affects breastfeeding, watch this 24-second video clip.
VideoJug: Does general anesthesia affect breastfeeding?

Hi there. Kendra here from Diabetes Notes, a fellow blogger at the science and health channel. Being a nurse, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the words, “I know I can’t breastfeed after I have the baby, I’m a diabetic.” And I can’t count how many times I have said, “the heck you can’t.” There are proven benefits to both the baby and the diabetic mommy who breastfeed.
What are they you ask? Let me give you a few…
1. Babies that are breastfed have a reduced risk for developing diabetes later on in life.
2. Prolonging the introduction …read more

What do you do if you notice your breastfed baby has green, frothy stool? Here is the scoop on green poop. There are two main considerations when a baby has green watery bowel movements: (1) oversupply and a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, or (2) baby’s reaction to something the mother consumed.
Oversupply and Foremilk/Hindmilk Imbalance
It may take several weeks for a mother’s milk supply to regulate. When a mother experiences oversupply, the baby can take in too much low-calorie, lactose-rich foremilk and not enough high-calorie, fat-rich hindmilk. That can lead to fussiness, gassiness, low weight gain and/or green, watery stools. A mother …read more

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports today that there is no link between breastfeeding and early childhood tooth decay. A new study examined data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for children aged two to five. Several factors were considered, including oral health and infant feeding. The study “Association Between Infant Breastfeeding and Early Childhood Caries in the United States” found no tie between dental caries and breastfeeding, including prolonged breastfeeding. What was found to increase the risk of dental caries? Maternal smoking. That’s one more piece of information to add to the growing list of facts …read more

I was really happy to hear that there’s a new book coming out this fall on the question of whether or not to have your child vaccinated. Vaccination is a hot topic among my breastfeeding friends, with some women opting to have their children fully vaccinated and some women opting to decline vaccinations altogether. Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP wrote The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child to inform parents about the pros and cons of different vaccines. The publisher describes the book as follows:
Each chapter will be devoted to a disease/vaccine pair and offer a comprehensive …read more

Today’s Mom-to-Mom breastfeeding question comes from a mother battling recurrent mastitis. She writes:
Q: “Hi, I’m hoping that you, or someone you know can help. I’m a tandem nursing mom to my 2 1/2 year old and my 12 week old. I never had any nursing issues or problems with my first. I am currently suffering from mastitis for the second time in 4 weeks! On top of that, my 2 year old was just diagnosed with Herpangina (a form of Hand, Foot, and Mouth) virus. I guess it’s very contagious by saliva and I’m praying that …read more

The FDA has issued a warning about the use of codeine by nursing mothers. The agency notes that breastfeeding mothers have used codeine safely for many years, and codeine is generally considered the safest narcotic drug for pain relief after a mother gives birth. However, infants are at risk of morphine overdose if their mothers happen to be “ultra-rapid metabolizers” of codeine. Certain women have a genetic trait that results in the ultra-rapid metabolization of codeine and thus higher-than-normal levels of morphine in the mothers’ systems. According to WebMD:
Ultra-fast codeine metabolism occurs in people who have a mutation in the …read more