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

Researchers have long known that breastfeeding mothers benefit from less incidence of breast and ovarian cancer and type II diabetes than formula-feeding mothers. A new study shows yet more strong correlation between breastfeeding and lower rates of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Nearly 140,000 post-menopausal women were studied in the Women’s Health Initiative. According to the Vancouver Sun (via One Small Step for Breastfeeding…), the study revealed breastfeeding’s heart health benefits on three levels:
1. Risk Factors. Women who breastfed their babies had lower incidence of the following three risk factors for heart disease: diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
2. …read more

A groundbreaking program at UC San Diego Medical Center encourages mothers of premature infants to initiate lactation and express breast milk to provide for their preemies who cannot suckle at the breast full-time or even part-time. The CBS interview linked to below reveals fascinating information about the life-saving benefits of breast milk for pre-term babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. What’s even more interesting is that the expressed breast milk provides a benefit not only for the babies but for their mothers as well! Cathy Robinson, the mother of premature twins Naomi and Caldwell, explained:
You can’t be there …read more

Speaking of sleep, two prominent researchers in the field of breastfeeding are conducting a survey of mothers’ sleep and fatigue. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC, Research Associate at the Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire, and Thomas W. Hale, Ph.D., R.Ph., Professor of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, invite mothers of infants 12 months and younger (breastfeeding or formula-feeding or both) to participate in the study by answering a survey online [Edited to remove link. The survey is now closed! Thank you for your interest!]. They explain:
In this survey, we will be asking you some detailed questions …read more

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined weight gained during pregnancy and the elimination or retention of that weight postpartum. The authors concluded that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months as recommended can help most women return to their pre-pregnancy weight by six months postpartum. The study also addressed one of the concerns from a previous review of similar studies in that it took into account the pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) of the women studied. Basically it concluded that women who were heavier before pregnancy were the most likely to continue to struggle with weight …read more

Birth information photo by subewl
My first two children were born at hospitals and it seemed like the children’s birth certificates magically showed up for me to sign sometime before we left the hospital. When Nicole was born at home, I had to go through a bunch of legwork to get her birth certificate. On the morning of Nicole’s birth, the midwife carefully explained to me what I would need to do: make an appointment with the county and take this letter and this form and a copy of a utility bill to establish residency. Click my heels three times and …read more

~ La Leche League co-founder Betty Wagner Spandikow passed away last weekend. She served as Executive Director of LLL for many years, and I was particularly impressed by this about her:
Betty initiated flex hours and a family-friendly workplace in the ’60s, long before they became the popular perks they are today. Business hours at the La Leche League International office were set to allow mothers to be home with their children after school. Betty’s ideas about work teams and home offices were also far ahead of their time.
Keep in mind that year-end donations to LLL are being matched by …read more

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) I bring you some important information on breast cancer:
~ If you are breastfeeding and scheduled for a breast biopsy, you could participate in a groundbreaking research study. Tanya at the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog explains how “when you make milk, cells from your milk ducts are exfoliated off in the process. These are called epithelial cells, and they’re detectable in your milk. Past research has demonstrated that long before we notice a lump, those epithelial cells start changing in ways that are precursors to the development of breast cancer.” If you participate …read more

Over 2,000 mothers were studied from the third trimester of pregnancy through the first year of their infants’ lives. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed the mothers about their infant feeding practices. Results from this Infant Feeding Practices Study II will be available publicly from the CDC at the end of 2008, but in the meantime the American Academy of Pediatrics reports:
Among the study findings were that one-fourth of mothers do not place their child on their backs to sleep, as recommended by the American Academy of …read more

One study published in the Journal of Nurse Midwifery found:
The average uncomplicated vaginal birth costs 68% less in a home than in a hospital, and births initiated in the home offer a lower combined rate of intrapartum and neonatal mortality and a lower incidence of cesarean delivery.
“The Cost-Effectiveness of Home Birth.” J Nurse Midwifery. 1999 Jan-Feb;44(1):30-5. Gee, what a novel concept — care that costs less but has a better outcome!
I did an informal survey of sources online to determine that the average hospital birth costs around $8,000 in the United States, depending on exactly where the mother lives. That …read more