Today’s breastfeeding photo shows one month’s worth of frozen breast milk! If breast milk is liquid gold, then frozen breast milk must be solid gold! At least that’s what the photographer “Editor B” on flickr.com called it!

Pumping for an extended length of time (such as after returning to work) is a commitment and I can certainly see why Editor B would want to document the result of her efforts!

Welcome to the September Carnival of Breastfeeding! Today working mothers share their stories and tips for combining breastfeeding and working outside the home. Pumping at work can be challenging but with a little advance preparation and determination, both mother and baby can reap the rewards of continuing to breastfeed after the mother returns to work. Read on for the advice working mothers shared with me, and then check out the links at the end to other carnival participants!

The implication of the Medela Breast Milk Commercial that women will need a breast pump if they plan to breastfeed got me wondering — in the last two months, have you used a pump? Was it electric or manual, or do you prefer to hand express?id you not require a pump or hand expression in the last two months? What is your opinion on whether a breast pump is necessary? As a stay-at-home mother, I used a manual pump with my first child but quickly found that my baby would not take a bottle and I only needed to express …read more

As some of us enjoy a break from working for the Labor Day holiday, I would like to ask your input on breastfeeding and working. I know all about juggling breastfeeding and the work of a stay-at-home mother, but I don’t have insight into breastfeeding and working outside the home.lease leave a comment on any or all of the following questions, and your answers might be used in a future post on breastfeeding and working (so leave your blog link if you would like me to link to you):
- How did you prepare to return to work after maternity leave …read more

After I posted about the Advertising of Infant Milk, two commenters mentioned how much they liked the Medela commercial that has been running on the Discovery Health Channel. Curious to see the “breast milk commercial” myself, I found the 31-second ad on Medela’s website. (Go on, watch it. I’ll wait. Then come back and let me know what you think please!)

What do you think of the ad? My first thought was, “Way to go Medela! You actually showed actual breastfeeding, on television!” (Yes, actually, that is how I actually thought it LOL). Apparently though this version of the ad is …read more

Thanks again to Easy Expression Products for the Easy Expression Hands-Free Pumping Bra giveaway! Many people expressed (pun intended!) positive things about the hands-free pumping bra and it’s fun to be giving away a product that breastfeeding and pumping mothers find so helpful!
It’s especially fun when Random.org happens to pick a winner who can really benefit from the prize — and that winner is commenter #20 Jennifer B, who said:
I am pregnant with my second child, and I would sooo love having one of these. I thought about getting one when I was nursing my 2 year old, but …read more

This contest has ended and the comments are closed.
Now is your chance to win an Easy Expression™ Hands-Free Pumping Bra compliments of Easy Expression Products! In honor of Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August, Easy Expression Products is giving one lucky Breastfeeding 1-2-3 reader an Easy Expression Hands-Free Pumping Bra which has a suggested retail value of $34.00!

Since the Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 was first introduced in Congress a month ago, three new co-sponsors have committed to the bill (two from New York and one from Guam), bringing the total number of sponsors up to 13 in the House and two in the Senate. Senator Jeff Merkley, the original sponsor in the Senate, offered the Breastfeeding Promotion Act as an amendment to the Senate Health Committee health care reform bill and it was accepted! While it may not make the final cut, this is tremendous progress! The D.C. Breastfeeding Coalition promises to let us know when …read more

If you knew you might only be able to nurse for a few months before you might have to be separated from your baby for an extended period of time, would it be worth it to breastfeed for those few months or should you formula-feed in an attempt to spare your baby from an additional pain of separation? That’s the issue raised by a military mother on the article U.S. Military Rules for Breastfeeding Mothers. Jami wrote:
Why is it that everyone but the Air Force is at LEAST 6 months deferment – The above article and all the profiles I …read more

Remember back in March when I wrote to Dear Abby about the fact that A Bathroom is Not a Pumping Room? My response was not selected for printing but today’s Dear Abby column is entirely dedicated to other helpful replies: Employer Obliged to Give New Mom a Private Space.
I especially liked that the responses included a reference to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services information booklet: “A Business Case for Breastfeeding: Steps for Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite: Easy Steps to Supporting Breastfeeding Employees.” (PDF Download).
I must be on a breastfeeding letter-writing kick because last night I …read more