Ever since the first artificial baby milk became commercially available in 1867, the infant formula makers have battled for market share — battled amongst themselves and battled against breastfeeding. At times it seems like breastfeeding is losing that battle in spite of a clearly superior “product” and a price that can’t be beat! Why is that? Well, when we examine why breastfeeding rates are not where we would like them to be, we can certainly look to questionable birth and hospital practices, poor breastfeeding support, and lack of proper education in the medical community. In the end though, the battle …read more

In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine offers free access to its Breastfeeding Medicine journal for the month of August. The Breastfeeding Medicine description explains:
This academic, peer-reviewed journal created by physicians dedicated to the advancement of breastfeeding worldwide provides a scientific forum on breastfeeding and human lactation. With the growing demand for the best evidence-based research advances, this interdisciplinary journal explores the immediate and long-term outcomes of breastfeeding. The Journal focuses on all medical aspects pertaining to breastfeeding and addresses the wide spectrum of research and clinical applications that impact upon the optimal …read more

Welcome to the August Carnival of Breastfeeding in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week August 1-7, 2009! The theme for La Leche League’s celebration is “Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life.” Breastfeeding prepares mothers and babies to deal with life’s emergencies: a natural disaster, war, epidemic, or time of political and economic unrest. Breastfeeding provides vital protection for infants in an emergency. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports:

The August Carnival of Breastfeeding coincides with World Breastfeeding Week the first week in August. Do you have thoughts on La Leche League’s World Breastfeeding Week theme: “Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life”? Perhaps breastfeeding helped you in the wake of Hurricane Katrina or another natural disaster. Maybe nursing helped you cope with a medical crisis? Did breastfeeding allow you and your child to undertake a trip you might not have otherwise? Please email me your post on “Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life” by July 27, 2009, for consideration for the blog carnival on August 3, 2009.
As a reminder, here are the …read more

Want to get a good deal and benefit a charity in the process? Bid on the items in LLL USA’s charity auction running now through July 15, 2009.

The money raised will help fund World Breastfeeding Week Celebration Grants to support the important work La Leche League Leaders do in the United States. So visit the “LLL USA page” on eBay. LLL USA reports that some items to be auctioned throughout the next several days include an Ergo baby carrier, a Glamourmom ® Nursing Bra Tank, and an assortment of historical transcripts from early LLLI conferences. Be sure to check back …read more

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has announced the 10 winners of its annual breastfeeding photo contest. This year the contest centered around the 2009 theme of “Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response. Are You Ready?”
The photos are fascinating but heart-wrenching in some cases, like the image of the woman who was a victim of domestic violence. Here I am grateful to be nursing my baby through a simple case of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, and there are women breastfeeding in relief camps, in war zones, in areas severely damaged by an earthquake. You can view all of …read more

If you support breastfeeding and have a blog or website, you can place a World Breastfeeding Week 2009 banner from LLL USA on your site! There are several banners available. World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every August 1 – 7 with many breastfeeding awareness events and fundraisers around the world. Even if you cannot organize or attend an event, you can do your part with a free banner ad!

Simply right click on the image, “save image as” to your computer, upload it to your site and link it to the World Breastfeeding Week page at LLL USA.

Once again the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is running a breastfeeding photography contest for World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). The WABA WBW theme for 2009 is “Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response. Are you ready?”
Entries are due March 24, 2009 by submitting this entry form (Word document) to WABA. Ten lucky winners will receive $100 each and have their winning photos featured in the WBW materials distributed to 120 countries! Good luck!

Inspired by the WABA theme of “Breastfeeding: a Vital Emergency Response. Are you ready?” the LLL USA 2009 World Breastfeeding Week Celebrations (WBWC) theme is “Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life.” That theme not only allows for the discussion of the importance of breastfeeding in an emergency, it also allows for discussion of how breastfeeding lays the foundation for life. Some ways in which breastfeeding prepares children for life include immune protection, reaching IQ potential, and the reduction in frequency and severity of illnesses.
Your thoughts?
What does the theme “Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life” bring to mind for you? Have you begun planning …read more

Happy Thanksgiving to all those in the United States! Remember that one way to show you are thankful for what you have in life is to give back to your community. Click on the International Volunteer Day and Breastfeeding 1-2-3 Challenge to learn 20 breastfeeding-related ways to volunteer on International Volunteer Day Friday, December 5, 2008. Let me know what you commit to do, and spread the word about the Challenge!