1. family and parenting
2. babies and toddlers

new
Beginnings
lllusa.org
Breastfeeding in Page
[04]
Combat Boots
[10] Mothers’ Stories
10 Medicine for Body and Soul
12 From Tube-fed to Breast-fed
14 My Breastfeeding Journey
16 A Relactation Tale
18 My Greatest Life Achievement
[20] Toddler Tips
[21] Making It Work
[26] Giving Birth
[28] Speaking Out About
Postpartum Depression
[31] Mothers’ Poems
[32] Eating Wisely
Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!
[34] WBWC
Editor’s Note
new
Beginnings
lllusa.org
Issue 5-6 | 2010 | Volume 35
Number 5-6 © 2010,
La Leche League United States of America
Managing Editor | Amy Nelson
Contributing Editors | Brenda Carroll, Cathy
DeRaleau, Gina Kruml, Karen Smith, Norma Ritter,
Lesley Robinson, Sara Walters, Winema Lanoue
Review Board | Alice Barbiere, Carol Kolar,
Diane Jeffer, Fran Dereszynski, Gwen Gotsch,
Judith Gibel, Judy Torgus, Kathleen Whitfield
Art Director | Ronnelito Larracas
Cover Photo | shutterstock.com
Advertising Manager | ReNata Bauder
Web Development | Dave Davis, Shelly Stanley
Ronnelito Larracas
Acceptance of paid advertisements does not
constitute an LLL USA endorsement of the
product advertised.
Mailing Lists: LLL USA fully supports the WHO (World Health
Organization) International Code of Marketing
of Breastmilk Substitutes. LLLI Board of Directors,
(1981,1988,1993,2006)
New Beginnings is published by La Leche League
United States of America, 957 N. Plum Grove Rd.,
Schaumburg, IL 60173.
Visit our Web site at http://www.lllusa.org/.
When La Leche League began more than half a century ago, the seven founders may never have
imagined that one day it would be commonplace for mothers to have careers in the military and
be faced with the challenge of breastfeeding while serving our country. Today, and in particular
over the past decade, many modern mothers serve as active duty military personnel and prepare
for their baby’s arrival by planning how they will be able to continue breastfeeding and/or
pump in the military. Robyn Roche-Paull shares an excerpt from her recently published book,
Breastfeeding in Combat Boots, offering information and tips for the military mother’s return to
active duty.
Our Mothers’ Stories include tales of a mother who was told her baby wouldn’t survive beyond
the first days and now, months later, is thriving on breast milk, and another mother who decided
to give breastfeeding a second chance after a friend told her about relactation.
More mothers share their experiences and ideas in our regularly featured columns Toddler Tips,
Making It Work, and Giving Birth. Karen Smith, editor of Toddler Tips, and Sara Walters, editor
of Giving Birth, both end their tenures as editors with this issue. We thank them for their time and
the effort they’ve put into collecting your responses and making sure other mothers are able to
read your collective wisdom. If you are interested in one of these contributing editor positions,
send your query to nbeditor@lllusa.org.
Rita Brhel, a mother of two from Nebraska, is intent on spreading the word about postpartum
depression after experiencing it with the arrival of her second daughter. In her article, Brhel not
only recounts her story but also shares information about recognizing the signs of postpartum
depression and seeking help.
We have a special treat in our final issue of 2010, sharing poems from mothers celebrating the
joys of mothering and breastfeeding in our Mothers’ Voices feature.
Rounding out this issue is a World Breastfeeding Week Celebration (WBWC) story from
Savannah, Georgia and a successful outreach program started by an LLL Group in Mississippi
thanks to a WBWC Grant.
As we close out the year 2010 and look ahead to 2011, the staff of New Beginnings looks
forward to another year of sharing your stories and providing a variety of informational articles
to help you along your breastfeeding journey.
Amy Nelson
Amy Nelson is a La Leche League Leader in the small Missouri River town of Yankton, South
Dakota, where she lives with her husband, Cory, and four children: Accalia (11), Cole (8), Ella
(5) and Tylan (2).
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 3
Robyn Roche-Paull, IBCLC
Breastfeeding in Combat Boots
An Excerpt from Chapter 6: Planning Ahead
Editor’s Note: While the number
of New Beginnings readers who
are breastfeeding and are active
duty military may be small, the
information provided by Robyn
Roche-Paull in Breastfeeding in
Combat Boots and, in particular,
the following excerpted chapter
can be helpful to all mothers
who are returning to work
and will need to prepare for
separation from their nursing
infant and making arrangements
to pump while on the job.
Whether active duty military
or civilian, these issues are just
some that many modern mothers
face each day.
Military mothers who choose to
continue breastfeeding while on
active duty do so not only because it
is good for their babies’ health and
it provides ease of feeding when
off duty, but also because it makes
them feel close to their babies, even
when they are separated for long
periods at work. It is well worth
your time to plan how to combine
breastfeeding with your military
commitments. Some job specialties
and ranks within the military will
be able to combine breastfeeding
and working better than others.
Every situation is different, and this
section aims to help you evaluate
your breastfeeding goals and
work situation, while giving you
practical information on military
4 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
policies and pumping basics. The
more prepared you are, the more
confident you will be upon your
return to duty.
Planning Ahead
The first and most important
item of business to take care of,
preferably before your baby
is born, is to determine your
work environment and facilities
available to you. Do you have a
separate room that is unused at
your workplace, such as a supply
room? Or will you be in field
conditions in a tent, on a flight
line, or in a medical facility? Do
you have the option of on-site
daycare where you can go to
your baby on your lunch break?
Military mothers have become
very creative at converting areas
into pumping stations: requesting
a corner of an unused supply
room with a curtain and couch
or chair, cordoning off a corner
of a tent, or using the back of an
ambulance to pump.
Speak with your direct supervisor
in your chain of command. You
will need to let them know that
you plan to continue breastfeeding
when you return to duty and will
need a clean, private area to
pump and some flexibility in your
work schedule to pump (lunch and
two 15-20 minute breaks). If you
feel uncomfortable speaking with
Robyn Roche-Paull, IBCLC
your supervisor, you may request
that another female be present with
you when you make your case for
breastfeeding upon your return
to duty. You may work in a field
that is mostly male, but do not let
your feelings of embarrassment or
shyness deter you from making the
best choice for your baby. As this
Air Force Captain says:
Don’t be afraid to talk
about it, especially with
your supervisor—most
men (if fathers) at least
know that breastfeeding
is an option. Your boss
will probably be more
uncomfortable with
the conversation than
you are. But in the long
run, most bosses and
coworkers will support
and defend your right to
breastfeed.
You might be surprised at the
answer you will receive and you
won’t know unless you ask! (See
the section on Speaking with Your
Supervisor below).
Bring in copies of your service’s
policy regarding breastfeeding and
a plan for pumping that includes
how often you’ll need breaks and
where you will pump. You can also
ask your child’s healthcare provider
for a note stating that breastfeeding
and breast milk expression must
take place for your child’s health.
You might also bring in an article
or two regarding the benefits of
breastfeeding along with this book.
Talk to women at your workplace
about their experiences with
pumping and breastfeeding. Find
out what worked and what didn’t
work for them. You may even
decide to form an informal support
group for one another to share tips
and stories. Find a mentor who
has breastfed on active duty and
ask her questions about what did
and didn’t work for her. You can
also look for formal breastfeeding
support groups for active-duty
breastfeeding mothers (many bases
worldwide offer them) and some
La Leche League groups meet on or
near military bases as well.
Purchase or rent the best quality
breast pump you can afford. If
breast pumps seem expensive,
remember that a year’s supply of
formula can be as much as $1500$2300. Check with your Military
Treatment Facility (MTF) or clinic,
as some military hospitals (mostly
Army) either loan hospital-grade
pumps or sell double-electric breast
pumps. Local WIC (Women’s,
Infant’s and Children’s Program)
offices on base, the New Parent
Support Team, or Visiting Nurse
programs also sometimes offer
low-cost or loaner pumps, or can
point you in the right direction to
locate one.
It goes without saying that getting
breastfeeding off to a good start
greatly increases the chances
that you will be successful at
breastfeeding once you return
to work. Oftentimes, mothers
assume that breastfeeding will go
smoothly during their convalescent
leave, and that all they need to
do is learn how to pump, only
to be blindsided by on-going
problems that never resolve. Early
breastfeeding problems such as sore
nipples or low milk supply that are
left unresolved can make it much
more difficult to combine working
and breastfeeding. All is not lost,
however. With a little preparation,
you can have breastfeeding well
established before you go back to
work. Remember the following:
• Take a breastfeeding-basics
and a return-to-work class. Get as
much information prenatally as
possible.
• Practice skin-to-skin, nurse your
M
ilitary mothers have become very creative
at converting areas into pumping stations:
requesting a corner of an unused supply
room with a curtain and couch or chair, cordoning
off a corner of a tent, or using the back of an
ambulance to pump.
baby immediately after birth,
room-in with your baby, and feed
him on demand.
• Get expert breastfeeding help
while in the hospital and a referral
to an IBCLC for additional help
after discharge. Early help makes
all the difference.
Delay your return to duty if at all
possible. You can bank your leave
time and, with your commander’s
permission, add it to the six weeks
of convalescent leave you’ll take
after the birth of your baby. Every
week that you can stay at home
increases your chances of long-term
breastfeeding success. When you
do return to work, do so gently,
and try to return at the end of the
week. Easing into your new routine
slowly makes it easier on you and
your baby.
Policies and
Regulations
Perhaps the most important
information to know is your service’s
policy on breastfeeding. From this
information, you can speak with
your supervisor and co-workers and
formulate your plans for continuing
to breastfeed and/or express breast
milk after your return to full duty.
Overriding all the policies and
forming the basis of the various
regulations is the Department of
Defense (DOD) Directive 1010.10
Health Promotion and Disease,
which states that the Department
of Defense and all of its employees
must maintain military readiness
by implementing and adhering to
the goals of Healthy People 2010
(Department of Defense, 2003).
One of those goals is exclusive
breastfeeding for the first six months
of life for the health of both the
mother and baby. These policies
vary widely between the services-from the Army, which has no
policy and the shortest deployment
deferment, to the Coast Guard with
a two-year “sabbatical” after the
birth of a baby and the guarantee
of return to the same job and pay
grade.
These policies provide you with
legal justification for making a
request to breastfeed or express
your milk while at work, while
also allowing your supervisor to
cite regulations when authorizing
time for breastfeeding. However,
none of these policies are foolproof
or ironclad. Keep in mind that
operational commitments will
ALWAYS have precedence over
your right to breastfeed or pump:
the mission always comes first. See
the sidebar for more information
regarding military policies.
Speaking with Your
Chain of Command
The vast majority of respondents to
an online survey of military mothers
stated that being upfront with your
supervisor about your need to pump
is the best policy. You need to be
proactive about your need to pump,
and in this case, it is better to ask
permission beforehand than to hope
for the best upon your return from
convalescent leave. Don’t be afraid
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 5
Robyn Roche-Paull, IBCLC
to speak with your supervisor.
Communication is essential! No
one likes to be surprised, and you
can’t assume that your supervisor is
thinking about how you are going
to feed your baby.
The policies regarding pumping
and breastfeeding have been out
long enough that most, if not all,
supervisors should have a passing
knowledge of what is expected
of them in granting you breaks
and providing a place to pump.
It doesn’t hurt to have a written
plan ready that outlines your work
schedule including: PT, lunch, and
pumping breaks; a consult with
Occupational Health, if needed;
the private space you plan to
use for pumping; a back-up plan
for duty days, watch standing or
emergencies; any required storage
needs for your milk; and your POC
information.
At least in the Navy, the policies
concerning breastfeeding have
changed (for the better!), so my
advice to everyone would be to
read up on what the policy states.
Then you can go to talk to your
supervisor BEFORE you start to
pump at work. That way, he or she
isn’t blindsided and wondering
where you are at certain points in
the day. Petty Officer 2nd Class,
USN
I was lucky in that my supervisor’s
wife had given birth to their second
daughter the day before I gave
birth. She was also active duty
and planned on breastfeeding, so
I basically just told him that I was
going to “disappear” to take care
of things twice a day. He didn’t
need any more info than that.
Captain, USAF
Don’t be afraid to ask for what
you need--and you may have some
unusual needs. I’ve found that if I
treat it matter-of-factly, others do,
too. You do what you’ve got to do.
Major, USAF
When, Where,
and How Long
How long you should breastfeed
and pump is something only you
can decide based on many factors,
such as your work environment,
schedule, possible deployments,
and level of support you receive.
No matter what, your attitude and
commitment to breastfeeding is
I told my supervisor my intent to
pump at least two months prior
to having my daughter. That way
when I got back it wasn’t a surprise.
Just talking to them and having the
policy printed out in case they do
not know about it would be the first
step. Senior Airman, USAF
When I was pregnant with my
middle child, there was another
nursing mother, so it was easy to
tell my Officer in Charge (OIC).
With my new unit, I told my OIC I
was planning on breastfeeding. The
office is supportive of it, and once
they got used to the sign on my
office door, they call if they need
anything instead of knocking on the
door. Captain, USA
6 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
vitally important to whether you will
be successful at breastfeeding on
active duty for however long you
choose to continue. Having a goal
in mind for both breastfeeding and
pumping (they may differ) will help
you stay determined and focused.
You’ll need to decide what the
minimum amount of time that you
want to provide breast milk to your
T
he vast majority
of respondents to
an online survey of
military mothers stated
that being upfront with
your supervisor about
your need to pump is
the best policy.
baby is and see how that feels as
a goal (remember to leave time to
get any initial problems worked
out). With that in mind, here are a
number of goals in the first year that
you may want to consider.
Birth to Six Weeks
Consider breastfeeding to at least
the end of your six weeks (42
days) of convalescent leave. At
six weeks, you will have made it
over the initial hurdles of getting
breastfeeding off to a good start,
and given your baby an important
boost by providing his or her first
“immunization” via your milk.
Having weathered the worst of the
initial difficulties, you can better
see how easy breastfeeding really
is. Remember, if new moms had to
decide whether to breastfeed for
a year based on the first few days
and weeks of breastfeeding, many
would never want to! If your military
work environment or schedule will
preclude any pumping, then you
can know that you eased your
baby through those critical first few
weeks.
Six Weeks to Four
Months
Because you’ll be returning to work
at six weeks, four months is a good
first goal for pumping. Providing
exclusive breast milk for the first
four months has been shown to
have a significant impact on your
baby’s health. However, this is also
the most challenging time, when
most military mothers struggle with
the demands of returning to active
duty and managing a baby, home,
and everything else. Your baby will
be taking in a lot of nourishment
during the day and having a few
growth spurts as well. This can be
the toughest time of all, so take it
slowly, and try to keep your baby
on exclusive breast milk for as long
as possible. If you can make it past
this hurdle, it really does get easier!
Robyn Roche-Paull, IBCLC
Four to Six Months
Your baby’s intake can be quite
high (he is more active now)
and you may be struggling with
supply issues and being able to
pump enough to keep up with his
demand. If you are finding that you
cannot keep up with your baby’s
demand at four months and have
tried the suggestions later in this
chapter on increasing your milk
supply, you may want to speak
with your lactation consultant,
health care provider or a local La
Leche League Leader about further
options.
Six to Nine Months
The next goal to aim for might
be your baby’s sixth month of
life. The American Academy
of Pediatrics (AAP) and World
Health Organization (WHO) both
recommend six months of exclusive
breastfeeding to realize the majority
of the benefits of breastfeeding.
Your baby will still be drinking a
lot of breast milk. But you are no
longer solely responsible for all
of his nourishment, which gives
you some flexibility and eases the
pressure of pumping enough during
the day. You can continue to pump
at work (and begin to taper down
how often) and increase solids while
you are gone. Breast milk is vitally
important to your baby and should
remain the majority of his diet
throughout the first year of life.
Nine to Twelve
Months
Having a goal of nine months
means that your baby will be
eating a variety of foods which
can substitute for more breast
milk, lessening even further the
amount of pumping you’ll need
to do. Remember, though, that
breast milk remains an important
part of your baby’s diet. Most
babies still want to and enjoy
breastfeeding in the mornings,
evenings, and at night (nighttime
nursing equals higher milk supply).
Continuing to breastfeed at nine
months can help combat some of
the separation anxiety he will be
feeling and provides an on-going
boost to his immune system. A note:
some babies get so “busy” at nine
months, especially if they have
mastered walking, that they forget
to nurse. This doesn’t mean they are
weaning. Rather, they need a gentle
reminder from you that the “milk
bar” is open. Don’t hesitate to offer
the breast if you are determined to
make it to 12 months or beyond
of breastfeeding. Most babies will
happily oblige!
Over a Year
The final goal to aim for is your
baby’s first birthday or beyond.
Breastfeeding for a year or
beyond is recommended by the
AAP to maximize the benefits of
breastfeeding. Breast milk continues
Each of the branches of the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard has its own
policies regarding breastfeeding (the National Guard and the Reserves
follow their parent services). Here is a brief synopsis of each and a link to
the policy online.
Air Force: Air Force Instruction 44-102 authorizes 15-30 minutes for
pumping every 3-4 hours. Deferment from deployment is 6 months.
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI44-102.pdf
Army: The Army does not have a breastfeeding policy authorizing break
time for pumping. The deployment deferment period is 6 months.
to offer immunities from illness
and provides proper growth and
development well into the second
year of life. By this point in time,
your baby will be getting most of his
nourishment from other foods, and
breastfeeding will be more about
comfort and reconnecting with each
other.
At this point, you can stop pumping
completely and transition your
toddler directly to cow’s milk.
Breastfeeding to the age of one
year or longer is the most pleasant
time for working mothers. The hassle
of pumping is over and gone and
only the joy of nursing remains. A
number of women have successfully
breastfed, or even tandem nursed
(nursing two children of different
ages), for two or more years, as
recommended by the WHO, while
serving on active duty. It can be
done!
My littlest son just
stopped. He was three
and a half years old. Tech.
Sgt., USAF
I have been on active
duty, Marine Corps, and
breastfed/pumped for
my youngest daughter
throughout my service
time. I occasionally
tandem nursed, too…
my youngest, now 4,
occasionally nurses, and
it has been an adventure!
Major, USMC
Marine Corps: Marine Corps Order 5000.12E (MARADMIN 358/07)
authorizes a clean, secluded space for pumping. It does not specify
allotted break times, but leaves it up to the supervisor and service member.
Deferment from deployment is 6 months.
http://www.awhonn-af.org/resources/MCO5000.12E.pdf
Navy: OPNAVINST 6000.1C authorizes a clean, secluded space for
pumping. It does not specify allotted break times, but leaves it up to the
supervisor and service member. Deferment from deployment is 12 months.
http://tinyurl.com/2pmz9b
Coast Guard: COMDTINST M10000.6A does not specify allotted break
times, but leaves it up to the supervisor and service member. Deployment
deferment is 6 months. Separation for the Care of a Newborn Policy
authorizes a one-time, two-year separation from active duty.
http://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/1000-1999/CIM_1000_6A.pdf
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 7
Robyn Roche-Paull, IBCLC
Your breastfeeding and pumping
goals should be what works for
you and your situation, both at
home and at work. Set a goal
that is doable for you, and
then meet it. If you find that
you are not ready to stop, set
another goal. It feels better to
set a goal and reach it, rather
than set it too high and feel as
though you failed. On the flip
side, the breastfeeding goal
you choose should never leave
you feeling like you wished it
had lasted longer. Studies have
shown that women who feel
forced or pressured into weaning
(whether by circumstances out
of their control or a goal set too
high) tend to have ambivalent
and guilty feelings about
breastfeeding, while those that
made a goal, met it, and are
satisfied with their breastfeeding
experience, have positive
feelings when their breastfeeding
relationship comes to an end
(Hills-Bonczyk, Avery, Savik,
Potter, & Duckett, 1993).
I think it is important for new
moms to understand that ANY
amount of breastfeeding is
beneficial. It is OK to stop after
one week, one month, one year.
The decision is a completely
personal one, and you should be
applauded for even one day of
breastfeeding. Captain, USAF
It’s Not All or
Nothing
When deciding how long to
breastfeed and pump, you also
should consider how to combine
breastfeeding and pumping in
your workday. There is no right
and wrong variation to this.
Your decision will be based on
the type of work you do, hours
you will be away, what kind
of time and place you have to
pump, future deployments, and
other factors. Whatever choice
you make about pumping, you’ll
be surprised at how fulfilling it
can be to nourish your baby
with your milk. The decisions
you make about expressing
your milk will be as individual
as you, your baby, and your
work environment. Here are
some various ways to combine
breastfeeding and active-duty
work that other mothers in the
military have used successfully.
• Exclusive breastfeeding:
With exclusive breastfeeding,
you go to your baby at
daycare or your baby
is brought to you during
the workday. There is no
pumping during the day or
use of expressed breast milk
while at daycare. Exclusive
breastfeeding is a luxury
afforded to very few activeduty mothers, as it is just
not practical given the work
environment and hours.
• Full breastfeeding and
pumping: Full breastfeeding
and pumping means you
will breastfeed at home and
provide pumped breast milk to
your baby while at daycare.
You will need to pump at least
two to three times during an
eight-hour shift, if possible;
more often for longer shifts. This
combination of breastfeeding
and pumping is most suitable
for those military mothers
who can pump on a regular
schedule while at work.
• Partial breastfeeding
and pumping: Much like full
breastfeeding and pumping,
with the exception of some
formula given at daycare, in
addition to pumped breast milk.
Mothers in this situation pump
as often as possible at work
and breastfeed while at home
(a single pumping session
at night can also yield extra
milk for the next day). This
combination is most suitable
for those military mothers who
cannot pump very often at work
8 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
due to their schedules or environment.
Mothers with a small storage capacity
may find that their milk supply falters
without regular expression.
• Partial breastfeeding: With
this combination, mothers breastfeed
when at home and give formula
while at daycare. There is no breast
pumping or use of pumped breast
milk. This is the most practical option
for those military mothers who cannot
pump at work at all. It is important
that breastfeeding remain unrestricted
when at home to maintain a milk
supply. This combination generally
only works for mothers with a large
storage capacity.
• Reverse-cycle feeding: Reversecycle feeding is a change in some
babies sleeping and nursing patterns
to better reflect mom’s availability. You
may find that your baby breastfeeds
more in the evening and during the
night, while taking fewer feedings
during the day when he is separated
from you. It is very normal for babies
of working mothers to reverse-cycle
and shows a deep, well-adjusted
attachment between you both
(Frederick & Auerbach, 1985). Most
often, babies do this naturally by
breastfeeding much more frequently
when home with mom and sleeping
when they are at childcare. A nice
perk of reverse-cycle feeding is that
you need to pump less, or maybe even
quit pumping completely. If you are
finding that day after day your baby is
not drinking all the pumped milk you
leave with the daycare provider, you
may be able to adjust your pumping
schedule. By five to six months, with
the addition of solids foods, you may
be able to reduce pumping further
or quit pumping altogether. Reversecycle feeding works, in part, due to
the higher hormone levels at night
for milk-making. So it may or may
not work for those whose shifts are
on nights or mids (graveyard shift,
typically midnight to 6 a.m. or 8
a.m.) It is important that you practice
unrestricted breastfeeding when you
are with your baby, and co-sleeping
facilitates mom getting some sleep
and letting baby nurse often during
the night.
Remember, when it comes to
breastfeeding in the military, any breast
milk your baby receives is better than no
breast milk at all. It is OK to supplement
and keep breastfeeding. It is not all or
nothing. Your body is amazing. It learns
when to make milk and when not to.
If you can only nurse your baby in the
evenings and at night, then your body
will make milk at those times.
Robyn Roche-Paull is the
author of Breastfeeding in
Combat Boots and of the
companion website www.
breastfeedingincombatboots.
com, she is also an IBCLC in
private practice, and has been
an active La Leche League
Leader since 2000. Robyn is
not only an advocate for active
duty military mothers who wish
to combine breastfeeding with
military service, she is also a US
Navy Veteran who successfully
breastfed her son for over a
year while on active duty as an
aircraft mechanic. She is the
mother of three breastfed children
now 14, 11 and 7, and has been
married for 17 years to a Chief
Petty Officer in the US Navy.
Mother’s Stories
Medicine for Body and Soul
Before I became a mother, I knew
that I would breastfeed my baby. I
believed breastfeeding was natural,
beautiful, and healthy for both of us.
I never anticipated the emotions that
it would stir in me. Breastfeeding
is more than nourishment for the
baby. It quenches her thirst for
mother’s comfort, sense of security,
and a closeness between us that
will forever set the foundation of our
mother-daughter relationship.
When I’m at work, I long for my
daughter’s snuggles and smiles.
When we are together at the end
of a very busy day, I see her sweet
face. She turns her head and opens
her mouth to drink in my scent and
the sweet, warm milk while I soothe
her by stroking her soft face. We
look into each other’s eyes and
relax. We are making memories
and enjoying the moment.
Breastfeeding is more than just
milk. It’s medicine for the body
and the soul. My daughter is a
healthy six-and-a-half-month old
exclusively breastfed baby. We’ve
dabbled in “tastes” of solid food
since she turned six months. I’m
cooking my baby’s food instead
of buying commercial to introduce
her to tastes from the family table. I
breastfeed in public without a cover
because it’s easier and I’ve learned
to be discreet. We cosleep because
it helps us stay connected and get
more rest at the same time. I carry
my baby in a pouch sling and carry
her with me wherever we go: walks,
the zoo, the grocery store, or the
library.
10 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
As a full time working mother,
I’m grateful for a supportive work
environment, not only for pumping
milk during the day, but also
for the support of my individual
coworkers who know that I run into
the Mother’s Room several times
a day between meetings to pump
while multitasking. Even my male
manager understands the nursing
relationship because his wife has
breastfed their two children. He
understands that I prefer not to
travel overnight for work, leaving
my young baby without her mommy
for more than a single work day.
My husband is loving, and he
and our daughter are bonded.
Moms and babies aren’t meant
to be separated biologically, but
in this modern day of mortgages
and college-savings plans, I have
to work. I’m so blessed to have a
work-life balance that allows me
to work from home two days a
week to help continue our nursing
relationship.
My baby and I fought for this
relationship. We are survivors.
Breastfeeding did not come easily
for us in the beginning because
I had flat nipples. A lactation
consultant/nurse quickly introduced
a nipple shield for our second time
nursing. Nursing helped to draw out
the nipples, just as my doula had
predicted. Our first night home from
the hospital brought me to tears.
With the support of my husband
and mother-in-law (a longtime La
Leche League Leader), I worked for
hours to try to get the baby to latch.
Mother’s Stories
Finally, I pumped and fed her a
bottle. She was starving. I learned
over the next several weeks to try
to nurse the baby with early hunger
signs, before she cried. It taught me
to be fiercely in tune to my baby
girl. I knew when she was hungry
because of a full breast. Now, my
husband and I watch out for our
baby’s early hunger cues like a
high-pitched whimper, burying her
head in our chests, and “nursing”
our shoulder.
I’m very fortunate to have a highvolume supply of milk. When my
baby was only one week old, I
was so engorged and realized
that I should pump. I pumped four
ounces of milk from one breast!
This abundant supply has given me
from their mothers that they’re
growing up and ready to take on
the world more independently.
I blogged in my third trimester
about how I prepared my body
for having a baby years before,
which paved the way for a very
healthy pregnancy. I shared that I’ve
always seen the cycle of childbirth
as four phases: fertility/conception,
pregnancy, labor and delivery, and
lactation. I feel many mothers skip
or cut the last step short because of
societal pressures.
Because of my blogging and
sharing breastfeeding in my
everyday conversation, people ask
me questions about it. I’m thrilled to
have questions from my friends who
are not parents. Now my pregnant
B
reastfeeding is more than nourishment
for the baby. It quenches her thirst for
mother’s comfort, sense of security, and
a closeness between us that will forever set the
foundation of our mother-daughter relationship.
the confidence to donate my milk. I
freeze tons of extra milk that I pump
while I’m at work and store it for
future donation. My baby eats just
enough at daycare and nursing
constantly when we’re together. I
am honored to share my milk with
premature and sick babies in need
by donating to the Indiana Mother’s
Milk Bank. So far, I’ve donated over
600 ounces of milk.
People ask me all the time how long
I plan to continue nursing. I think
to myself, it’s not up to me alone.
Nursing takes two. I’m planning
to nurse as long as she wants to
because that is biologically natural.
Babies wean when they’re ready,
with support and encouragement
friends ask me for advice and tips.
Groups through LLL and my hospital
gave me immeasurable support
that got me through the first, tough
four to six weeks of nursing. But,
as breastfeeding mothers know,
you need support all along the
way with the changes in the baby’s
development. I feel at home with
these mothers.
I’m proud to be a nursing mother.
I’m proud to be Ava’s Mom.
Amanda Berkey,
Indianapolis, Indiana
Editor’s Note: Amanda’s story can
also be found on the LLL of Broad
Ripple (Indianapolis, Indiana)
website at http://lllbroadripple.
org/2010/10/07/one-mothersjourney-through-breastfeeding/.
Reprinted with permission of the
author.
La Leche League International
(LLLI) offers guidelines for mothers
interested in donating their milk.
This information can be found on
the LLLI website at http://www.
llli.org/NB/NBmilkdonation.html
The LLLI Board of Directors revised
their statement about human
milk donations in March 2007.
Below is their statement, which is
included in the LLLI Policies and
Standing Rules:
La Leche League International fully
supports the use of human milk for
babies. The first priority of LLLI is
to help mothers breastfeed their
babies. Babies benefit from human
milk donated by other mothers
when their own mother’s milk is
unavailable.
When a mother contacts a Leader
seeking donated human milk,
the Leader shall respond with
information and support. This shall
include information about induced
lactation and/or relactation. The
Leader shall also suggest the mother
dialogue with an appropriate,
licensed health care provider and
contact a licensed human milk bank
or other regulated and medically
supervised human milk collection
center. The Leader shall inform any
mother interested in using donated
human milk for her baby, whether
on an occasional or on a long term
basis, of the documented risks and
benefits connected with this form of
infant feeding.
If a mother is interested in donating
her milk, a Leader shall provide
contact information for licensed
human milk banks or other
regulated and medically supervised
collection centers. A Leader shall
not ever pressure a mother to
donate or to continue donating
her breastmilk. A Leader shall
maintain confidentiality of mothers’
information entrusted to her (relating
to any potential donor or potential
recipient). A Leader shall remind
a potential donor mother that her
own baby has a natural priority to
her milk. A Leader shall inform a
potential donor that: 1)the donor
may request complete information
from the milk bank or collection
center about how her milk will be
used; 2) the donor may inquire if
she may restrict how her milk will be
used; 3) she may make her decision
about donation in the light of the
information she receives from the
milk bank or collection center.
A Leader shall not ever suggest an
informal milk-donation arrangement,
including wet-nursing or crossnursing. If a mother wishes to
discuss these options, the Leader’s
role is to provide information about
the risks and benefits so that the
mother can make her own informed
decision based on her situation.
(Aug 76; rev Oct 92, Mar 07)
Safe Sleep Tear-off
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 11
Mother’s Stories
From Tube-fed
to Breastfed
When I found out I was pregnant,
I immediately started researching
natural birthing options in my
area. Unfortunately, the last
birthing center was shut down a
few years ago due to lack of use,
so it seemed my only options were
hospital birth or home birth. We
decided to brave it and go for a
home birth. Once the idea set in,
it grew on me, and I started to
get really excited about having
a home birth. I would tell people
with pride that I was planning
on having my baby at home,
and I was almost smug about
the fact that I was going to do it
without drugs. It was important
to be prepared, though, and to
be prepared we needed to get
educated. We started taking
childbirth classes from a local
instructor who had birthed ten
children in her home! We were
expecting to learn how to relax,
how to breathe, and how to
support one another. What we
weren’t expecting was to learn so
much about breastfeeding.
I knew breastfeeding was
important, and it had always been
what I expected to do. I had no
idea, though, that it was such an
art. We watched videos about
latch techniques, hand expression,
and the importance of avoiding
nipple confusion. And as it got
closer and closer for me to have
this baby, I became really excited
to breastfeed her. I couldn’t wait
to hold her close, skin-to-skin, and
look in her eyes and know that I
am all she needs in the world.
Enter reality.
My pregnancy was perfect. My
labor was uncomplicated, but
my baby came out in distress.
She didn’t get enough oxygen
in those first few minutes, which
led to some permanent brain
damage. The details of all this
aren’t as important as the fact
that as I looked at my little one
lying in the Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit (NICU) barely alive, I
was grieving over many things,
one of which was that I would
probably never breastfeed my
baby. In fact, in the beginning, it
was looking like there were a lot
of things I’d never get to do with
my baby, and breastfeeding was
not highest on the list. But, even
while spending endless hours at
the hospital, I faithfully pumped,
getting hardly anything at first. I
remember proudly handing my
little bottle of breast milk to the
nurse every three hours, basking
in her praise and amazement at
how much I could get out, even
though I thought I should be
getting more than an ounce and a
half! I was told over and over that
they were keeping every drop of
this milk because it was like liquid
gold for my baby once she could
start eating.
The day my milk came in was the
day I said goodbye to my baby.
We were told she would never be
able to breathe on her own, and
we made the horrible decision
to unplug her ventilator and say
goodbye. But she’s a fighter, and
she is strong, and she wasn’t
ready to go. We couldn’t believe
that after a couple of days, we
started having conversations about
12 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
taking her home! We thanked
our lucky stars. We learned how
to insert her nasogastric (NG)
feeding tube (through her nose all
the way into her stomach) because
she had no suck, swallow, or gag
reflex, and we took home two full
boxes of expressed milk. We were
told she probably wouldn’t make
it through the week so if we didn’t
want to feed her, that’d be okay.
I hated that tube so much that I
was okay with this. That sounds
horrible, but her kidneys weren’t
working and she had little to no
brain activity, and we were told
she was going to die anyway.
My husband told me to just hang
on, and soon we were seeing
improvements.
She made so many gains, that
before long we were certain she
was going to make it. Even with
so much to be thankful for, I was
still mourning the loss of nursing.
I was starting to hate the pump.
I didn’t see how I’d ever be able
to leave the house since I had to
pump every two to three hours.
I was dreading having to feed
Sadie in public because of the
tube. I just kept thinking how much
easier everything would be if I
could just breastfeed! We were
told I could give her a pacifier
and see if we could strengthen her
suck, but that babies with this kind
of injury were known to aspirate
and end up with pneumonia, so it
wasn’t safe to try to nurse her yet.
I was militant about the pacifier.
I even gave it to her when I was
tube feeding her because I wanted
her to feel her tummy getting full
Mother’s Stories
while sucking. But, the nurse kept telling me
we needed to test her suck/swallow before we
could try to give her any milk orally.
Fortunately, I didn’t listen to the nurse, because
Sadie STILL hasn’t had the suck/swallow test!
Exactly a week after we brought her home--her
two week birthday--I decided it was time to try
to breastfeed Sadie. So, we got in the tub, we
cuddled up with a warm, wet towel, and I put
her to my nipple, but she couldn’t quite get the
hang of it. Then my husband suggested trying
the other side. It took a few tries, but she did it!
T
(oh, what a relief that was!), and soon enough,
I was comfortable nursing in public. Sadie is
now six months old and she is a champion
breastfeeder. She has nursed in restaurants, in
the car, on an airplane, in bed, on the couch, at
a baseball game, and anywhere else you can
imagine.
Teaching my baby (and myself) how to
breastfeed has been one of the most rewarding
things I’ve done in my life. I love to sit and nurse
her (especially since she’s not a particularly
cuddly baby) and sometimes fall asleep
eaching my baby (and myself) how to
breastfeed has been one of the most
rewarding things I’ve done in my life.
I was surprised at how different it felt from the
pump! It wasn’t only the feel of the suck that was
different and surprising, it was the hormones I
felt releasing. I felt instantly closer to my baby
even after just three or four sucks. I didn’t want
to do it too much, though, because I was still
afraid of her aspirating.
The next couple of days I spent pumping,
feeding her through the tube, then letting her
suck a little. I attended a La Leche League Series
Meeting because she was having trouble with
the shape of my left nipple. We began using a
nipple shield and that helped a lot. Soon we
were trying to breastfeed before I pumped,
and using the tube as a last resort. After five
days, she was exclusively nursing! I didn’t tell
the nurse at first, because I was afraid I’d be
reprimanded, but when her lungs were checked
and were clear for two consecutive visits, I
figured it was safe. Actually, the nurse was
impressed and proud of us for learning how to
breastfeed! But we weren’t done learning.
together. I love knowing that she knows what
to do when I hold her a certain way, and that
she has a specific cry to let me know she’s
hungry. I feel like I’m giving my baby the very
best. Despite her other deficiencies, I know
that she’s getting the best from me now. I really
feel I’ve fulfilled my purpose in life, in being a
mother, and I don’t plan on giving this up any
time soon. Maybe once it’s time to enroll her for
kindergarten I’ll get the hint!
Christie Beck
In another couple of weeks, we were able to
take away the nipple shield. A few weeks after
that we could nurse lying down in bed together
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 13
Mother’s Stories
My Breastfeeding Journey
As a young girl, I remember my
mom talking about the wonderful
closeness of breastfeeding my two
sisters and me, describing it as
the best time of her life. I never
questioned how I would feed my
children. During my pregnancy,
my mom gave me a copy of The
Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
and I read it cover to cover. My
sister, who was two months further
along in her pregnancy than I
was, went to a La Leche League
Series Meeting with me while we
were both pregnant.
I had a medication-free, natural
birth with a full term yet small (6
pounds, 2 ounces) baby in July.
She was put to my breast right
away but did not latch on. While
we were in the hospital we met
with several different lactation
consultants but did not really get
any help. One lactation consultant
sat with us for 20 minutes and
gave me a nipple shield. She
left saying “I sat with you for 20
minutes and don’t know what
to tell you.” When we were
discharged from the hospital,
Jocelyn still hadn’t wet a diaper
and I don’t think had gotten more
than a few drops of colostrum.
When Jocelyn was four days
old we had a check up with our
physician. She had dropped to 5
pounds, 8 ounces and would not
latch on. Our physician referred
us to a non-profit breastfeeding
center. We met with a wonderful
International Board Certified
Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) on
a Friday afternoon. She thawed
some banked human milk and
14 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
finger-fed Jocelyn with a syringe.
Jocelyn was very tired and
disorganized. We put her on
my breast, but she was confused
and did not even try to latch on.
We left the center with a hospital
grade breast pump and another
jar of banked human milk as well
as a galactagogue (an herbal or
pharmacological substance to
increase milk production). I began
pumping at least every three hours
around the clock, initially only
removing tiny amounts of breast
milk.
Within a week, I was able to
pump enough milk to feed Jocelyn
without any banked human milk.
We continued to work on latching.
Finally when she was about two
weeks old, she latched on without
the nipple shield. We continued to
meet with the IBCLC twice a week
and weighed Jocelyn before and
after nursing to measure Jocelyn’s
breast milk intake. I continued to
pump eight to ten times a day. I
nursed her for 20 to 30 minutes
each feeding, pumped 15 minutes
and then bottle-fed her pumped
milk. I really believed she would
learn how to nurse effectively
before too long because I was told
most babies learn by six weeks
and, if not by six, then usually by
eight. When she was five or six
weeks old I promised her I would
pump for 12 months if I had to,
but I truly didn’t think I would have
to pump for one year.
When Jocelyn was six weeks old,
the IBCLC suggested we try to
“tough love” her to nurse without
my pumping or giving her a
bottle. For six days I nursed her for
hours, weighing her before and
after each side. I only pumped
morning and night, and we were
hoping this would be enough
to help her breastfeed without
supplementing with pumped milk.
At the end of the week she had
lost weight and was lethargic. My
milk supply had increased when
Jocelyn was two weeks old and
now it dropped for the first time.
From mid-September through
January, I struggled with
borderline low supply. We went
back to pumping 8 to 12 times a
day and began power pumping
(pumping 12 minutes, off 12
minutes, pumping 12 minutes, off
12 minutes and then pumping 12
minutes) once every morning to
encourage my body to make more
milk. Initially, I supplemented my
milk with extra frozen milk. Then
my sister gave me some of her
milk. When I was down to her
last two ounces of milk, I went to
a breastfeeding support group at
Mother’s Stories
the breastfeeding center. I felt very
sad that I would probably have
to give Jocelyn formula soon. A
mother I had only met once before
offered to give me her milk, and
two other mothers also offered
me frozen milk. I read the risks
of accepting human milk and
decided that it was worth it since I
trusted these women.
At seven weeks, Jocelyn had
a frenotomy* for a posterior
tongue tie** in hopes that it
would improve her milk intake.
It didn’t seem to help her, but
at least we knew that we were
I viewed the relationship aspect
of nursing as at least half of the
benefit. Plus, I made a promise
to my baby to pump if necessary,
and I had to keep my promise.
The IBCLC was very encouraging
and I continued to pump, nurse
and give Jocelyn my milk in a
bottle.
Around her three-month birthday,
we had a new problem. Jocelyn
began a nursing strike and would
scream and push away from me,
refusing to nurse any time she was
awake. I learned that I could nurse
her if she was just barely awake,
I
t took a team of incredible people to help
Jocelyn breastfeed beyond one year. I look
forward to the next year and plan to continue
our breastfeeding as long as Jocelyn wants.
doing everything possible. At
two months, I was exhausted and
discouraged and talked about
giving up. My sister encouraged
me to continue until she was
three-months-old. One of my
dearest friends also encouraged
me to continue even if it meant just
pumping and bottle-feeding for a
week without all the nursing.
When Jocelyn was eight or nineweeks-old, the IBCLC told me that
mothers in my situation had three
options: One, I could continue
to pump and offer the breast like
I had been. Two, I could pump
and bottle feed without trying to
nurse. My third choice was to give
up and feed my baby formula. I
didn’t want to quit because I had
seen that sometimes the breast
was comforting to Jocelyn and
before her eyes were open, during
naps or at night. We had decided
to cosleep around six weeks of
age to encourage breastfeeding.
For the next four months, I had
a goal of nursing four times a
day, just by catching her asleep.
I continued to pump and give
her breast milk in a bottle. We
stopped meeting with the IBCLC
since Jocelyn wouldn’t nurse while
awake. I continued to talk with
the IBCLC on the phone for advice
and encouragement.
Mid-January while I was changing
her diaper, Jocelyn grabbed my
shirt like she wanted to nurse. I
took her to the rocking chair and
she latched on, fully awake, and
nursed for about five minutes. I
was so excited she was nursing
again. That month she nursed
three times fully awake and by
February she was back to nursing
and very rarely refusing. I quit
setting my alarm for middle of the
night pumping and just pumped
six times a day.
In March we experimented with
nursing more often and pumping
less. In June I dropped down to
only pumping morning and night,
which I have continued through
her birthday. She is now one
year old and receives a bottle of
pumped milk morning and night
from her daddy and nurses about
10 to 12 times a day and four to
six times at night. She loves her
“num nums” and lifts up my shirt
to nurse.
I am so thankful for all the
support I have received. My
husband has encouraged me,
washed pump parts and given
many bottles of pumped milk to
our daughter. My mother stayed
with us for Jocelyn’s first two
weeks to help and has listened
to me for many hours. I’m also
so thankful for my breastfeeding
support group at the breastfeeding
center and my incredible IBCLC.
When people see all the work I’ve
done, I want them to know that I
did not do it alone by any means.
It took a team of incredible people
to help Jocelyn breastfeed beyond
one year. I look forward to the
next year and plan to continue our
breastfeeding as long as Jocelyn
wants.
with a pump or in the rocking
chair to give him or her your milk.
I see breastfeeding as a long-term
investment in Jocelyn’s and my
health as well as an investment in
our relationship. I consider every
pump session and hour spent in
a chair working on nursing more
than worthwhile.
Julie Schmoll,
Lincoln, Nebraska
*A frenotomy is a minor surgical
procedure to release skin under
the tongue that is anchored too
tightly to the floor of the mouth.
** Posterior tongue-tie, also called
posterior ankyloglossia, means
there is tissue in the middle or
rear of the tongue that keeps the
tongue from moving the way it
needs to. Babies with a posterior
tongue-tie don’t have a notched
tongue tip and they can extend
their tongues over their gums, but
the middle or rear of the tongue
is tethered tightly to the bottom of
the mouth. This type of tongue-tie
is much harder to spot and many
lactation professionals and doctors
are not trained to recognize it.
If you are having difficulty
breastfeeding, I would highly
encourage you to keep working
with it. Maybe your baby will
get the hang of nursing in a few
weeks, and maybe he or she
won’t. Even if your baby never
nurses efficiently, I think having
a healthy, very attached baby is
worth all the hours you may spend
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 15
Mother’s Stories
A Relactation Tale
On January 16, 2010, I decided
to relactate. What prompted me
to do this? A very good friend
of mine had educated me on the
benefits of doing so and provided
me with gentle encouragement.
She had the faith and belief in
me that I didn’t have in myself
back then and guided me back
into a wonderful and fulfilling
breastfeeding relationship with
my son, Braeden. I had told her
how I wished I had been able to
breastfeed and she informed me
of a process called relactation.
Much to my surprise, I learned
that although I hadn’t breastfed
in about seven weeks and my
breasts were now completely dry,
I could work toward bringing my
milk back in. With my friend’s
support, I started the process.
I had stopped the breastfeeding
process early in my son’s life-
-not because I didn’t want to
breastfeed--but because of an
array of issues. In fact, I had
dreamed of breastfeeding my
baby since the moment I knew
I was pregnant. My son was
born six weeks premature via
cesarean section due to risks
with my pregnancy. All of the
problems made for a very stressful
pregnancy. Braeden spent more
than two weeks in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and
my milk never did fully come in. I
worked with a lactation consultant
and pumped faithfully so that I
could increase my supply and
bring milk to the NICU to put
in his feeding tube. I spent long
12-hour days at the NICU with
my son, pumped by the side of his
incubator and woke every three
hours during the night to ensure
I was sending my body all the
right signals to keep making milk!
16 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
While at the hospital, I also made
sure I did as much kangaroo care
(lots of holding skin-to-skin) as they
would let me.
The problem was that I wasn’t
getting much milk. After a 25
to 30 minute pumping session,
sometimes I would only get 15
to 20 milliliters. I would put my
breast milk in a syringe and put
it into my son’s feeding tube and
continue pumping regularly. I was
determined to ensure that Braeden
had the best--my breast milk. The
lactation consultant had said that
maybe my body had not caught
up with the birth of my son since
he was born so early and to give
it time and continue pumping
every three hours. I followed her
instructions exactly but my milk
supply did not increase. The
lactation consultant suggested I
meet with my obstetrician and
request a medication to help
increase my milk supply. I began
the medication about a week into
my son’s NICU stay and continued
pumping every three hours. My
milk supply did increase, but I was
still only getting one to two ounces
for every 25-minute pumping
session. I was feeling very
discouraged as well as exhausted
from the process of trying to
increase my milk supply and from
the long days spent at the NICU.
Also, once I left for the day, I had
another son at home waiting to
see me.
During this time I also began
having difficulty with my cesarean
section incision. It had opened
in two different areas, became
infected, and required a lot of
care. Initially, I had to attend a
clinic at the end of my 12-hour
day at the NICU and to have
my incision packed. I also had
to take antibiotics to cure the
infection. Because I could not
stand to have my son in the
NICU alone, I continued my
long days there with my stomach
bandaged and so sore that I could
barely walk. Eventually the nurse
started coming to my home in
the evenings after I had returned
from the NICU, which thankfully
prevented me from having to
attend the clinic.
This packing process lasted for six
weeks before the incision healed.
I became so overwhelmed with
the issues surrounding my incision,
the physical pain and the fact that
I wasn’t seeing enough results
from all my work to increase
my milk supply. Combined with
the fact that my baby was in the
NICU, I gave up pumping on day
12 and asked the nurse to start
bottle-feeding Braeden. I think it’s
important to note that I also knew
that the faster Braeden was eating
on his own, the faster he would
come home. The point came when
he no longer required any oxygen
or an intravenous (IV) site. He was
just there to learn how to eat. I
wanted my baby to come home!
After all, it just felt very wrong to
have my baby and then leave the
hospital without him.
Braeden slowly learned to feed
from a bottle and was finally
discharged on November 23
after 16 days in the NICU.
When he was discharged, home
care for my incision continued.
I did not continue to pump. My
milk supply still didn’t appear
adequate after all the pumping
I had done and the medication I
had taken. I was so overwhelmed
and exhausted that I decided to
give up. I realized later that this
was a mistake and I regretted
the decision. I yearned for that
Mother’s Stories
closeness to my baby—for me to
provide his food.
When my friend mentioned
relactation, she sparked my
interest and I thought there
might still be an opportunity to
breastfeed my baby. I was so
tired and worn out from the NICU
experience and issues with the
incision, though, that I questioned
if I had the energy. I thought long
and hard and decided since my
baby was premature and had so
many struggles in his first days
here on earth, I wanted him to
have the very best he could have,
and that meant my breast milk,
not formula. So with my friend’s
support I began latching Braeden
on again and pumping. To my
surprise, he latched like a champ,
like he had always been at the
breast! I had been advised that
sometimes after a baby had been
bottle fed, it may be a learning
process for the baby to learn how
to suckle at the breast, but he did
it without any trouble at all.
This was the first step to a
beautiful nursing relationship
with my son. I continued latching
and pumping, began taking
medication to increase my supply
again, and this time added the
herbs fenugreek and blessed
thistle. My milk came back! At
first it was small amounts, but
it gradually started to increase.
Braeden initially used my breast
for soothing himself to sleep. It
didn’t matter, though, because any
amount of suckling at the breast
stimulated milk production. So, as
often as I could I put my son to the
breast and he would suckle like a
champ! I also tried a supplemental
nursing system (SNS). I didn’t
have a lot of luck with this tube
and bottle system, but I have
heard of women who do.
with her once weekly, sought
support through my friend and
started attending the monthly La
Leche League Series Meetings. I
surrounded myself with a network
of support and, looking back,
I truly could not have done it
without each and every one of
them.
My friend informed me of a
support group called La Leche
League and advised me to
seek the support of a local
breastfeeding clinic as well.
I Googled La Leche League,
found the Group in my area and
called a La Leche League Leader.
I received great support from
her and continued to utilize my
friend as much as I could. She
made herself available to me
almost constantly, and I never felt
like I would be judged if I didn’t
continue. What a true friend!
I love the close and nurturing
relationship Braeden and I have,
and I love being his sole source
of food and comfort. There truly is
nothing like the bond of a nursing
relationship with your little one. I
wanted to write my story for every
woman struggling with her supply
or contemplating relactation. It is
a lot of work, I won’t deny that,
but it is a truly rewarding and
worthwhile experience.
Braeden is seven months old
now and I plan to continue to
breastfeed for as long as I can. I
hope my story encourages other
mothers to forge ahead--even
through challenging times-because both you and your
babies will reap so many benefits.
I also found a breastfeeding clinic
and connected with a fantastic
nurse/lactation consultant. This
nurse worked with me for several
months and provided strong
encouragement and the positive
reinforcement I needed. She is
truly fantastic at her job, always
going the extra mile to make sure
I felt supported, encouraged,
but not pushed or judged. I met
Over the course of my time at
the breastfeeding clinic, my milk
supply increased to the point that
I was almost able to exclusively
breastfeed my son. I had to
supplement every other day with
about three ounces of formula,
but the rest of Braeden’s diet was
breast milk! I couldn’t believe the
progress I had made and was
thrilled that my son could reap the
benefits.
Kelly O’Neil,
Rome, Maine
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 17
Mother’s Stories
My Greatest Life
I’ve heard over and over again
that a baby will change everything,
and in my case that turned out to
be completely true. I used to think
that big careers, high academic
achievements, awards, and other
credentials were what mattered in
my life. But on February 18, 2010,
all that seemed to matter was the
birth of my son William.
I had every intention of returning to
work after he was born. I planned
on pumping, finding adequate
childcare, and somehow balancing
my life again, except William
had different intentions for me. A
little after William had arrived,
we were napping next to one
another and awoke at the same
time. I looked over at him and we
locked eyes with one another. I
remember wondering what he was
thinking about or what he wanted
to do with the rest of the day. I
offered my pinkie finger to him to
grab and he grasped it smiling a
tight-lipped smile. I was hooked,
and I slowly began to realize that
all my little guy wanted was his
mama right beside him, and all
he probably thought about was
how cozy and relaxing it is to
cuddle up and breastfeed. Bottles
of pumped breast milk were not
the same for him. As the weeks
went on I learned I could cuddle
with him for days, look at him for
hours, and never leave his side. Six
weeks after he was born I made a
decision that surprised even me. I
decided not to return to work.
When I look at him now I can’t
imagine spending a day without
him. All it takes is one tiny smile
and I’ll forget it took three hours
of on again, off again nursing to
get him back to sleep or about
the loads of stained clothing I
still need to wash. I don’t have to
worry now about finding time to
pump since I give him his breast
milk right from the source. The
cost my husband and I saved
on childcare and formula is
tremendous, and I know that by
breastfeeding him I am giving
him food and comfort. When I
do leave for an hour, my arms
don’t know what to do without
holding my William. I feel lost
and empty without William
smiling and babbling back at
me. I lose a part of myself when
he’s not with me, despite all
of the challenges a new baby
brings.
In my current job as a mother I
don’t get sick time or holiday pay. I
don’t have fifteen-minute breaks or
half-hour lunches built into my day.
Some days it’s even hard watching
my husband go off to work where I
think he’s doing all sorts of exciting
projects or talking to interesting
people all day. I know some day
I’ll probably resume a career or
even have time to take a long, hot
shower.
The nights when I nursed William
lying down in bed and the way
he looked up at me with trust and
happiness, the giggles I hear after
I tickle him in just the right spot:
those will be the times I’ll miss.
William will only be this little for so
long and I want to spend as much
18 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
W
hen I look at him now I can’t imagine
spending a day without him. All it takes
is one tiny smile and I’ll forget it took
three hours of on again, off again nursing to get
him back to sleep or about the loads of stained
clothing I still need to wash.
time with him as I can when he’s
so young. Careers, jobs, raises,
and high academic awards will
come and go, but my biggest
life achievement is that I am a
breastfeeding, sling-wearing,
attached stay-at-home mother, and
I couldn’t be more proud of my
greatest life achievement, my son
William.
Susanna Carlson,
Glendale, Wisconsin
Toddler Tips
Mother’s
Situation:
Does anyone have any
tricks to get a child to
sleep in until later in the
morning? My daughter,
who is 30 months old,
is waking really early
every day after going
to bed at a reasonable
time and sleeping
through the night. It
doesn’t matter what time
she goes to bed she
always wakes too early.
Although she is often in
bed by seven o’clock,
I’m so tired myself after
being up so early that
I’m ready for bed too
and my husband and
I aren’t getting any
quality time together.
Response
This has happened two years in a
row to our older son. Every thing
seems normal and then suddenly
he starts waking up earlier and
earlier, and my husband and I
are bewildered and exhausted.
On both occasions it has been
in summer as the days lengthen
(and start earlier) and he has
been sleeping in an east-facing
room. The mini-blinds just aren’t
enough for him but when I went
out and got a set of curtains for
his windows as well, the double
insulation kept it nice and dark
and he started sleeping to his
report that at age six,
that little person is an
amazing sleeper. She
goes to sleep soundly
in her own bed each
night at around 8:30
p.m., and wakes on
her own at around
7:30 a.m. rested and
happy. Know that these
times don’t last forever!
Karen Smith,
St. Charles, Illinois
usual wake-up time again. If that’s
the problem it’s a really easy fix.
Best of luck!
Elizabeth Cook, Rochester,
New York
Response
Over the years, I have found my
children’s sleeping habits have
changed from month to month,
season to season, and as they
age and reach developmental
milestones. The change in the
seasons affects how much light
falls into each of their rooms,
so I have had to make some
adjustments in how I set their
blinds to minimize morning sun.
During the co-sleeping years this
meant adjusting my bedroom
curtains so they block out the
maximum sunlight. I have also
had problems where my children
were waking up early because,
after a nap and early bedtime,
they were just done sleeping by
that time of the morning. There
was a time we reached with each
child where we decided (as a
family, since this impacted all of
us) to eliminate naps in order to
lead to a more restful overnight
sleeping period. While this was
an adjustment and required
20 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
some careful planning so as to
not be running errands in the
afternoon (they were champion
car-sleepers, both!) it was
something we decided to do and
once we eliminated the afternoon
naps, we noticed a significant
improvement in both how the
kids went to sleep in the evening,
as well as their total overnight
sleep--fewer overnight wakings,
longer morning sleep. I am not a
morning person! I want to sleep
as late in the morning as possible,
so some of this was recognizing
my own limitations as a parent
and looking for solutions that
would work for all of us.
We also discovered with our
youngest that she was sensitive
to a number of things--certain
laundry detergents made her
itchy, my menstrual cycle made
her wake more often at night,
and any caffeine I had consumed
seemed to directly impact her
ability to sleep or stay sleeping. I
had to be much more thoughtful
about the environment in which
she slept than I had to with
my older child. It was a good
reminder that each little person
is just that--a little person with
his or her own unique needs
and sensitivities. I am pleased to
New Mother’s Situation:
My two-year-old has always
been such a calm and laidback
toddler until recently. Now we
can’t get together with friends
without my daughter melting
down over anything--from seeing
another child with a toy she
wants to not being able to be the
first one in the sandbox at the
playground. I’ve even turned my
back once or twice only to have
my daughter hit or even bite one
of her little playmates! Is this just a
phase? What is happening to my
daughter? Please help!
“Toddler Tips” is edited by LLL
Leader Karen Smith in St. Charles,
Illinois. She and her husband,
John, have two children, Liam
and Anastasia. Karen speaks and
writes on parenting topics as well
as writing fiction.
Please send responses and
new situations to toddler.tips@
lllusa.org.
Making It Work
Mother’s
Situation:
My baby is almost
three months old and I
have to return to work
in about two weeks. I
am concerned about
my milk supply, as
I have had to work
very hard to keep a
sufficient amount (I take
herbs and feed him
often) because of not
getting off to quite the
right start. I feel like I
have been successful,
and I’m very proud
of both of us because
he is healthy and
growing well, but I’m
really worried about
what will happen to
my milk supply when
I am working all day!
I expect to be able to
pump several times per
day but I still am a little
nervous. How have other
mothers kept their supply
up when working?
Response
Congratulations on your baby!
I returned to work when my
daughter was seven and
½-months-old. Despite having a
good supply before, I ran into
supply problems until I followed
several guidelines:
1. Pump when my baby would
nurse. It’s not always possible but
aim to do so.
2. Prioritize. Even a short pumping
session (five minutes) is better than
none at all. I feel that my baby is
my priority and is reliant on my
prioritization of pumping for her
optimal health and development.
Socializing with colleagues takes
a distant second place. Anything
non-essential or possible to do
after a pump session should be
done then. This was hard for me
because everyone wanted to
know about the baby and had not
seen me since before maternity
leave. Of course, I was also
keen to talk with adults at work.
Disciplining myself was essential.
3. Safe cosleeping and continuing
to breastfeed on cue outside
of work was very helpful to
maintaining my supply.*
4. A high quality, electric, double
pump, preferably hands-free with
a dedicated battery, is ideal. It’s
as important to working part- or
full-time as is a watch, or proper
clothing. The reality is that once
we begin working we have more
things on our plate, not less.
Pumping has to be convenient,
easy to do, and efficient. Double
pumps cut pumping time in half
and are thought to stimulate the
release of milk-making hormones
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 21
Making It Work
(prolactin), which in turn will
also cut down pumping time. The
battery option will enable you to
pump in whatever location your
workplace is able to provide,
regardless of whether there is
an outlet or not. You won’t be
tethered to an outlet and you’ll
be free to move around while
pumping. My first week back at
work I had to wake up early to
pump each side while I sat on the
couch. After buying a new double
pump, I slept in later and pumped
while putting on make-up, styling
my hair, and even while making
lunches for my husband and
myself.
pumping place may be your right
as a breastfeeding mother. But
your milk supply may drop while
you wait for a better solution.
Also, you might be very tired
managing your new role as a
working mother and not have
the energy to take on issues like
you did before. Take what you
can get and if it’s not sufficient,
continue to look for improvement.
Keep your sense of humor. My
workplace asked me to pump in a
common office of 25 plus people
without cubicles, but with a sense
of humor I was able to get 15
minutes in a private office with
blinds.
5. I admit this one is controversial,
but I’m trying to see the big
picture. A drawn-out fight with
management to get a perfect
6. A door block to keep a door
shut to outsiders may be very
helpful if others have access to
the room.
22 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
Enjoy combining motherhood with
work. Count your blessings and
stay relaxed. Things will fall into
place.
K.C.,
Brussels, Belgium
Response
I worked full time with my third
son. At first I pumped every two
hours and started weaning down
to three times a day after six
months. At about nine months
I was only pumping twice a
day and at 12 months once a
day. I just recently weaned from
the pump at 15 months. I think
keeping up the strict pumping
schedule and making it a relaxing
time helped keep my supply
going. I also cosleep with my
little guy so his continuous nursing
through the night gave my supply
the extra boost it needed.*
Early on I brought oatmeal
cookies to work with me to snack
on. The oatmeal really helped milk
production. On the days I didn’t
eat any cookies, I could tell the
difference--milk output was less.
Michelle,
West Carrollton, Ohio
Response
My initial sense is that your
rocky start might not necessarily
have any impact on your milk
supply at three months. After six
months back at work, I typically
supplement what I pump with 1-2
ounces per day from my freezer
Making It Work
stash. I expect that I might be able
to get more if I pumped longer but
don’t have the time in my day.
The best thing is that pumping/
working has had no discernible
impact on my supply when I’m
with my son, and he’s healthy and
growing fine.
P.S. Since my only “supply” issue is
with providing enough for daycare,
I’ve been utilizing frozen milk I
expressed on maternity leave.
I think it’s important to remind
mothers going back to work that
they should look for a caregiver
who is used to feeding breastfed
babies (or willing to learn), who
will not try to rush a feeding or
overfeed. Provide slow flow nipples
to the caregiver. This can help
mom’s pumping keep up with the
feeding technique that the baby
receives from the caregiver.
“Manatee”,
llli.org Mother-to-Mother
Forums**
Response
You can keep your milk supply up
but will need to be faithful about
frequent removal with a good
double electric pump. Aim to pump
at least 15 minutes every three
hours while you are away from
your baby.
Also, encourage your baby to
nurse often when you are together.
Many babies will “reverse cycle”
and nurse more often at night when
separated from mother during the
day. Do not try to get your baby to
sleep through the night if you are
concerned about your milk supply.
Cosleeping works for many mothers
to encourage more frequent night
nursing.*
Try to relax! Many mothers
successfully breastfeed while
having to pump. Stress will just
make it harder to give your
baby your precious milk.
Julie Schmoll,
Lincoln, Nebraska
Response
I have had to exclusively pump
with both of my children for
various reasons. Neither of my
children have gone without
breast milk.
When I was nursing my first
child, my employer was not
very friendly about pumping.
I was initially told that I could
pump whenever I needed to,
but then was told I had only
two times during the day to
do so, and they weren’t very
well spaced out. For someone
who was pumping every three
hours around the clock to have
to suddenly move to a different
schedule was miserable, but
here is what helped:
First and foremost: Get a good
double electric pump. I swear by
my double pump! It has a “let down
mode” that I love as it really seems
to help with my initial let down. I’ve
heard other mothers say they like to
use this mode midway through their
pumping to get another let down
(which helps them express more
milk during the sitting).
Secondly: A comfortable place
is, in my eyes, essential. If you are
uncomfortable or worried someone
is going to walk in on you it can
really stress you out, and a stressed
mother is not good for pumping!
I’ve heard bringing recordings of
your little one, a picture, or even a
blanket they sleep with can help,
though I personally have not had to
do that.
Thirdly: You really need to pump
(in most cases) for at least 15
minutes. Even if at ten minutes
you’re only getting dribbles for
milk. This will help tell your body
it needs to make more milk during
that period. This also means that
in general you will need 25-30
minutes to pump. Figure about five
minutes to get to your location and
set up, 15 minutes to express, and
5-10 minutes to clean up and stash
your milk. Many women skip the
clean up part and bring a storage
bag to put the removable parts of
the pump into, then toss that in the
refrigerator for the next session.
Since your milk stays good in the
refrigerator for three to five days,
this works well and isn’t unsanitary.
I’d advise rinsing the removable
parts with warm water before using
them again.
You also might want to look into
getting a hands-free bra or bustier.
You can find these online. This
means you can do other things,
such as read a book or even work
(provided you have your own
office and can securely close the
door while you pump). You’d be
surprised how much milk you can
get when you’re not sitting there
staring at the pump the whole time.
Another thing that can help is
to try to add a pumping session
in the early morning. Typically,
the hormones that allow you to
make milk are highest in the early
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 23
Making It Work
morning, which frequently means
more milk can be pumped. For
me, I’ve noticed that if I’m going
to get more than usual, it’s either
when I’ve gone longer than
normal between pumping (which I
definitely try to avoid because it’s
very uncomfortable and can take a
little time to recover from) or in the
early mornings. I’ve even heard of
some women nursing on one side
while expressing from the other.
It all depends on when your little
one nurses and how much they
need, so you may have to adjust
accordingly.
look at pictures of my son, as well
as having something that smelled
like him also helped. I was able to
make enough for each day until I
decided I wasn’t willing to keep up
the pumping at home.
Now my son is almost one year
old and I’m in the process of
weaning from the pump. In my
opinion, whatever amount of
breast milk you are able to pump
at first is wonderful, and not
letting it become a significant
source of stress is important. I
think you should celebrate the
time you spend nursing and not
let it become a negative force
by worrying about it all the time.
Good luck!
If possible, try to pump at work
when you would normally nurse
your little one as you may find
this will help you get more milk.
The pump is not the same as your
baby, and not nearly as efficient,
so this can help.
Marbles,
LLLI.org forums**
If this doesn’t work and you find
it difficult to keep up with your
little one, you may need to add
a few pumping sessions over the
weekend. If you put your milk in
a deep freezer (zero degrees or
lower) your milk should keep for
six to 12 months. Once defrosted
the milk is good for 24 hours.
Most importantly, try not to
worry too much as this can be
counter productive. Yes, you will
hear about women who can pump
six or more ounces in a sitting,
but this is unusual. In general, it is
normal to get much less when you
pump.
Also, look into hand expression.
When it got near the end for me
and I was having a harder time
keeping up in general, I found that
I could hand express some milk
after pumping. Sometimes I could
get as much as an extra ounce
from each side.
Last but not least, feel free to
come on over to the forums on
LLLI.org and ask questions. We’re
a friendly bunch, and there are
some mothers like me who for one
reason or another have exclusively
pumped. There are others who
nurse when at home and pump
when at work.
Erin,
Grand Rapids, Michigan
24 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
Response
Congratulations on working so
hard and making it through to
continue breastfeeding. I also
returned to work around three
months.
The most successful approach for
me was to pump in the mornings
after nursing, as that was when
I produced the most milk and it
allowed me to supplement what I
was able to get at work. Making
myself take the time to relax and
Making
*Families have many different ways
in which they choose to parent
their children during the night. La
Leche League recommends that
you address nighttime parenting
in the way that works best for you
and your child. Cosleeping is one
option that many families choose,
and you may be surprised to
learn that it does not necessarily
mean bedsharing! For many, it is
considered cosleeping when you
have the baby near enough to you
that you can quickly respond to his
or her needs during the night. In
the Frequently Asked Questions
topic “Should I Sleep With My
Baby?” on the LLLI website,
cosleeping is described as follows:
There are many ways of cosleeping.
Some mothers keep their babies in
bed with them all the time. Other
mothers set up the crib or bassinet
in the mother’s room; their babies
are brought to the mother’s bed
when they wake.
Other mothers sleep with their babies
on a mattress in the baby’s room.
There are as many options as
there are parents and babies. As
babies grow and change their sleep
patterns, families often respond by
changing sleeping spaces. The only
right choice is what works to give
the whole family as much rest as
possible.
Dr. James McKenna suggests
these safety guidelines:
• Cosleep only on beds, not on
couches or recliners.
• Bedding should be tight fitting to
the mattress.
• The mattress should be tight fitting
to the headboard of the bed.
• There should not be any loose
pillows or soft blankets near the
baby’s face.
• There should not be any space
between the bed and adjoining
wall where the baby could roll and
become trapped.
New Mother’s Situation:
I have been working full time since
my daughter was four months old.
She stays with my husband two
days per week and my mother-inlaw three days per week. I am very
grateful that I don’t have to pay for
daycare and that she gets one-onone attention from family members
who love her, but I find that I feel
jealous and a little resentful that
they get to spend so much time with
her and that I do not. I love my job
and don’t really want to quit, but I
sometimes feel marginalized when
I hear about all the things they do
together all day. I pump at work
and nurse her often at home (she
nurses several times at night) and
that is going well, but I would like
to hear how other mothers deal
with their feelings of loss and/
or jealousy when away from their
babies.
• The baby should not be placed on
its stomach.
• Do not cosleep if you drink alcohol
or medications that make you sleepy,
take drugs, or smoke.
Some parents are concerned that
their children will never move into
their own rooms. Be assured that
while every baby and child is unique
and has different needs, they all
eventually become independent.
Cosleeping can be a safe and
warm way to parent babies. We
encourage each family to make an
informed decision about what will
work best for them.
La Leche League International,
Should I Sleep With My Baby?
2007, http://www.llli.org/FAQ/
cosleep.html
**The LLLI.org Mother-to-Mother
Forums can be seen as an online
extension of the kind of support
that you can find at a local La
Leche League Group. In the forums,
mothers can ask questions and
receive answers from other mothers
and La Leche League Leaders.
If you’d like to join the online
discussions, go to www.LLLI.org and
click on the tab that says “Forums”.
Please read the “Welcome and
Getting Oriented” message in the
“Forum Announcements” section
before you begin posting and
answering questions.
“Making It Work” is edited by
LLL Leader Winema Wilson Lanoue.
A writer and avid knitter, she lives
with her husband, Eric, and two
boys, Ezra and Zeb, outside of
Blacksburg, Virginia.
Please send responses and
new situations to making.it.work@
lllusa.org.
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 25
Giving Birth
The journey of Sebastian Octavius Olschewske:
Another look at a premature birth experience
In April 2009 when I was
about 31 weeks pregnant, I
was admitted to the hospital
as I was leaking fluid. I was
told by the obstetrician that
I could not leave my room
because my “baby could fall
out.” By the following week I
was getting very depressed.
I missed my family. I begged
daily to just go outside. I finally
“got permission” to be able to
go to church to attend Mass
and to go outside one morning.
However, they wouldn’t let
Ryan, my husband, take me out,
and we were yelled at when
he tried. A few days later, I
was told that if I left my room
again or the ward they would
call child protective services
because I was endangering the
life of my unborn child. I was
also told if they felt my baby
was in danger of infection I
would have labor induced.
The next day ultrasound
showed the fluid levels were
very low and the baby was
not acting as they liked. The
perinatologist explained to me
that he wanted me induced at
34 weeks. After much prayer,
Ryan and I decided we did not
have a choice; I just wanted out
of there. I was informed I would
not be allowed to leave until the
baby was born; therefore, I could
be there until June.
On May 4, I was induced at
10:30 a.m. It was a long day.
By midnight I began telling Ryan,
“I do not think I can keep doing
this all night,” something I would
never have said in previous
labors. I understood then why so
many induced mothers may be
given epidural anesthesia.
Then sometime after 12:20 a.m.,
I gradually started making what
Ryan calls my “pushing sounds.” It
all happened quickly. As I leaned
forward to push, the baby’s head
was already crowning. At 1:39
a.m. Sebastian Octavius flew
out onto the bed. He was so tiny
compared to my other children,
weighing exactly six pounds. I
26 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
held him and tried to get him to
nurse, but he was not yet ready.
At 2:30 a.m. I was told he had to
go to the Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit (NICU). I was so sad as he
was starting to show signs he was
ready to nurse.
I was finally allowed to see him
at 4 a.m. I held him on my bare
chest. His blood sugar was low
because he hadn’t been able to
nurse. I was insistent that he not
receive any formula. At 6:30 a.m.
we had to leave due to a shift
change, but I was now pumping
every hour. I tried to sleep for a
few minutes but knew I would not
sleep till he was safe at home.
I continued kangaroo care all
day and night, and I pumped
every hour for 20-30 minutes.
One of the NICU doctors was
not supportive about me nursing
Sebastian. The doctor preferred
for me to pump and give him the
colostrum in a bottle! I explained
how breastfeeding was easier for
Giving Birth
a baby than bottle-feeding.
When Sebastian was rooting
at my breast and I placed the
nipple near his mouth to hand
express a few drops, a nurse
reprimanded me.
But on May 6 a lovely NICU
doctor told me I could try to
nurse him because he was
doing so well. I was shocked
and thrilled! It was hard at
first, but after a couple of tries
he latched on! I was allowed
to nurse him every three hours
that day and night. I was still
pumping every hour for about
30 minutes, and the nurses
thought I was pumping too
much. I told them this was how
often I normally nursed my
newborns. By May 7 he was
off oxygen and was allowed
to room in with us that
evening. He was on a bilirubin
blanket, too, because he was
jaundiced, but his count was
14 and rising. I continued to
pump since Sebastian was
very sleepy. A knowledgeable
lactation consultant reminded
me I could use a syringe to
feed while I nursed at the
same time. So Ryan would
slowly administer my pumped
breast milk in the tiny corner
of his mouth while I nursed
Sebastian.
On May 8 we went home
with Sebastian but with the
proviso of a nurse coming
over to check his bilirubin
count and weigh him. The
nurses all told me it was rare
for newborns of 34 weeks’
gestation to go home so fast.
The nurse came out later that
evening bringing a bilirubin
bed, with strict instructions that
I had to have him on the bed
24/7, and was only allowed
to nurse him every two hours
for 30 minutes. I bit my
tongue. Instead, I spent a lot
of time in the sunshine. I tried
to use the bed as instructed,
but I just could not allow him
to cry. I continued to pump
every hour because I knew he
was not nursing as well as he
should. We also continued to
administer the breast milk in
his mouth while he nursed, as
this kept him sucking.
On May 17 the bilirubin
bed left the house. Sebastian
was having regular bowel
movements, he had gained 10
ounces, and his bilirubin count
was normal.
Seven months after Sebastian’s
birth he is still doing great!
He now weighs 17 pounds
6 ounces--all on mother’s
milk. He does not look like a
preemie, although he is slower
in the milestones than his
siblings.
Lisa Olschewske
St Augustine, Florida
“Giving Birth” is edited
by Sara Walters, who lives
in Carmarthen, South Wales,
Great Britain. She has had
two American hospital births
(Rebecca in 1999 and
Jonathan in 2002) and one
British homebirth (Catrin in
2006).
Please send submissions to
mailto:giving.birth@lllusa.org.
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 27
Feature Article
Speaking Out About
Postpartum Depression
Many first time mothers can be
caught off guard by their emotions
after giving birth to the baby who
joins their family after anticipation
for months or even years. It’s
completely normal to feel a
letdown after the big day. After
all, childbirth is a life-changing
experience in every way. What
can help new mothers and their
partners is to understand how to
recognize the “baby blues” and
what can help until they go away,
usually in a couple weeks.
However, some mothers find
that symptoms are lasting much
longer, are overwhelming, or
are accompanied by feelings of
hurting the baby or themselves.
In these instances, see your
doctor immediately. Mothers
with intensely sad or angry
feelings could have postpartum
depression, or even more seriouspostpartum psychosis. These
symptoms are very serious and
can even be classified as medical
emergencies. However, they are
treatable; it doesn’t take long until
you’re feeling normal again and
are able to enjoy the bonding time
with your new baby that both of
you deserve.
I know this firsthand.
With my first child, I experienced
the very common “baby blues.”
My main symptom was bursting
“Baby Blues”
This common mood disorder is not considered a
mental illness since the majority of new mothers
experience it. The “baby blues” occurs in 50 to
70 percent of new mothers, coming on within
the first week after the birth and lasting, at
most, three weeks. Symptoms include: mood
swings, weepiness, sadness, anxiety, inability to
concentrate, and feelings of dependency. “Baby
blues” are caused by rapid hormonal changes,
along with the stress of birthing; physical
discomforts; an emotional letdown following
the pregnancy; anxiety about the increased
responsibility of caring for a newborn; fatigue;
and disappointments about the birth, support
from the partner, nursing, or the baby.
28 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
Postpartum Depression/Anxiety
More serious than the “baby blues,” postpartum
depression/anxiety occurs in 20% of new
mothers and can happen any time during the first
year postpartum. Symptoms include: excessive
worry or anxiety, sadness, hopelessness,
irritability or short temper, feeling overwhelmed,
difficulty making decisions, feeling guilty,
experiencing phobias, insomnia or fatigue,
discomfort around the baby or indifference
toward the baby, inability to concentrate
and forgetfulness, loss of interest in hobbies,
decreased libido, and loss of appetite or
overeating. Risk factors include: previous
postpartum depression, depression, or anxiety
during pregnancy; personal or family history of
depression or anxiety; abrupt weaning; social
isolation or poor support; history of premenstrual
syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder;
history of mood changes while taking birth
control pills or fertility medication; and thyroid
dysfunction.
Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder
A variant of postpartum depression, postpartum
obsessive-compulsive disorder occurs in 5%
of new mothers. Symptoms include: intrusive,
repetitive, and persistent thoughts or mental
pictures, often about hurting or killing the
baby; sense of horror and disgust toward these
thoughts; behaviors accompanying these thoughts
into tears at odd times and for
no apparent reason. I wasn’t
prepared. No one had ever
told me about the blues, but the
medical team at the hospital
recognized the signs right away
and helped me through them. The
blues only lasted a couple weeks,
and one day I woke up feeling
normal again.
With my second child, I was
prepared for the “baby blues,” but
what I experienced was far worse,
except that I didn’t know what I
was feeling. It also started during
my ninth month of pregnancy. I
was sad and angry, yelling at my
husband constantly and feeling
overwhelmed by the demands
from my children and from the
housework. At times, I felt like I
couldn’t take care of my baby.
I never had thoughts of hurting
myself, but I would leave my baby
to cry and hours later wake up
to her still crying. I would feel so
frustrated that I had to leave her
with my husband because I was
afraid of my next reaction. I also
experienced severe paranoia,
mostly in relation to something
hurting my children. I fretted that
I
Feature Article
didn’t know what was wrong with me
or, rather, that anything was wrong at
all. I thought I was normal.
the new furnace was leaking
carbon monoxide. I called the
repairman five times one day and
bought three carbon monoxide
detectors for my baby’s room.
I obsessed about rabid bats,
believing that there was one
scratching at the corner of the
window trying to get in to bite me
and the baby. I heard tree limbs
rubbing on the roof and believed
it was a cougar ready to pounce
if I walked outside. I would stay
up all night, worrying that if I went
to sleep and the house started on
fire or someone broke in, that I
wouldn’t be able to wake up in
time to save my children.
I didn’t know what was wrong
with me or, rather, that anything
was wrong at all. I thought I was
normal.
At two months postpartum, my
marriage on the rocks, I sought
help after experiencing a strange
sensation one day--joy--and
knowing for the first time that
what I usually felt was definitely
not right. I visited the website of
Postpartum Support International,
www.postpartum.net, and was
connected with a free phone
call to a local counselor who
specialized in postpartum
depression. I was suffering from
postpartum psychosis.
It didn’t take long for the treatment
to work, but it could’ve been
devastating to the relationships in
my family if I hadn’t sought help.
It took another two years before
I was diagnosed and treated
for the underlying condition that
contributed to the postpartum
psychosis--bipolar disorder.
to reduce anxiety (i.e. hiding knives); and counting,
checking, cleaning, or other repetitive behaviors.
Risk factors include: a personal or family history of
obsessive-compulsive disorder.
attack, the mother feels like she is going crazy,
dying, or losing control. Risk factors include: a
personal or family history of anxiety or panic
disorder; and thyroid dysfunction.
Postpartum Panic Disorder
Postpartum Psychosis
A variant of postpartum depression, postpartum
panic disorder occurs in 10% of new mothers.
Symptoms include: episodes of extreme anxiety,
along with shortness of breath, chest pain,
sensations of choking or smothering, dizziness,
hot or cold flashes, trembling, palpitations, and
numbness or tingling sensations; restlessness,
agitation, or irritability; and excessive worries or
fears. Panic attacks may wake the new mother,
often with no identifiable triggers. During the
This illness is marked by a “break in reality”
and is a medical emergency. Call 911 if the
new mother shows signs of having postpartum
psychosis; she is a danger to herself, her baby,
and others. This disorder has a 5% suicide rate
and a 4% infanticide rate. Postpartum psychosis
is very rare, occurring in only 1 to 2 new mothers
per 1,000. It usually begins two to three days
postpartum. Symptoms include: visual or auditory
hallucinations, delusional thinking (i.e. about
Because I found parenting
support during that time through
the La Leche League Group in
York, Nebraska, and Attachment
Parenting International resources,
the postpartum depression did not
have any lasting impressions on
my family.
Postpartum depression is real, and
it is something that all expectant
mothers, new or experienced,
should know about. Not enough
people tell their stories. I didn’t
know I had postpartum depression
because I had never encountered
anyone who let me know that
there was something wrong.
No one, not even medical
professionals, could give me a
specific example of thoughts and
behaviors that would signal a
problem. The only information
I had coming home from the
hospital was a bullet-point list on
infant’s death, denial of birth, need to kill baby);
and delirium or mania. Risk factors include: a
personal or family history of psychosis, bipolar
disorder, or schizophrenia; and a previous
postpartum psychotic or bipolar episode.
Reference: Postpartum Support
International
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 29
Feature Article
the discharge sheet that directed me
to report any unusual emotions to my
doctor. But what defined “unusual?”
Furthermore, until that point, I had
no history of mental illness and had
always been a very stable, loving
person. Before my experience with
postpartum depression, I thought it
was something that only happened to
people who weren’t stable in the first
place.
Postpartum depression, just like the
“baby blues,” happens because
of a hormone imbalance and can
be aggravated by the pressures of
adjusting to a major life change.
Before having my second child, I was
dealing with a recent move and the
leftover medical issues from my oldest
child’s premature birth. Postpartum
depression is not something that
happens because you are an unfit
mother or because you’re weak.
After your child’s birth, if you have
feelings of sorrow or anger that seem
to permeate your life and that you
don’t feel you have control over, seek
medical help. It’ll save your marriage
and your relationship with your
children, and you’ll feel much better
being able to feel happy again and
back in control of your life.
Rita Brhel lives near Fairfield,
Nebraska, with her husband,
Mike, and their daughters,
Rachel and Emily. Rita works
as a freelance writer/editor,
a childcare provider, and a
caregiver for the developmentally
disabled.
Editor’s Note:
In addition to the resources shared by
the author, readers can find additional
information as well as past articles
from New Beginnings and LLLI’s
Leader publication, Leaven, about
postpartum depression and postpartum
psychosis on the LLLI website at
www.llli.org/NB/NBdepression.html.
Printed Resources
Depression in New Mothers by Kathleen KendallTackett
The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood by Kathleen
Kendall-Tackett, Phyllis Klaus, and Marshall Klaus
Tips for Handling the Baby Blues (LLLI tear-off
sheet)
Websites
www.mededppd.org | www.postpartum.net
30 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
Tips for Handling the Baby Blues:
•Rest! Rest! Rest! Enjoy this time with your
new baby. Let others wait on you. Enjoy being pampered for the first few days you are home (longer if you underwent a cesarean or experienced complications).
• Bring baby into your room or bed to get
more rest.
• Avoid fixed or rigid schedules, they place undue stress on new mothers. Go with the baby’s flow and your own intuition.
• Avoid overexertion. Limit the length and number of visits from friends and relatives. When you do have guests, don’t feel as if you need to play the perfect hostess. In fact, if guests find you in a robe, they are less likely to over-stay their welcome.
• Whenever your baby sleeps, rest or sleep yourself. This is NOT the time to jump up and do those 40 chores you have been thinking about!
• Eat right. Have healthy snack foods on hand. Nutritious, easily prepared foods are helpful. (Send the donuts home with grandma.) Make
sure to eat some complex carbo- hydrates (bread, corn, rice, rye, potatoes, oats, whole-
wheat crackers, etc.) every three hours to keep your blood sugar up.
• Drink lots of fluids. Your body is healing and extra fluids are essential for breastfeeding. Drink lots of water. Unsweetened juices are also terrific. Avoid caffeine and empty calorie sodas. Avoid or conscientiously limit alcohol use.
A Nursing Rhyme
My Empowerment
Ignoring the “advice” I don’t want,
deciphering nonsense from fact
Following my heart and never
looking back.
My Reasons
After hours of labor a warm
little baby is laid on my chest
Head bobbing around in search
of her food, a moment of pure
tenderness.
My Reward
Full and heavy breasts, my milk
has officially come in
Colostrum has worked its miracles
and now the full feedings can
begin.
My Relief
Lounging in bed skin-to-skin with
my sweet baby girl
Snuggling and nursing the day
away, feeling so content with my
world.
My Vacation
Attending my first lactation tea
and La Leche League meetings,
leaving feeling so confident
and strong
Surrounded by likeminded
women, great advice, and a place
for us to belong.
Wires and tubes surround,
Pumping noises all around.
Measuring liquids regularly,
Drinking fluids thirstily.
Complexities
and Hurdles
in the Early
Weeks
My Knowledge
A sleepy head nestled
at my breast
A chubby hand that I hold
and caress.
My Absolute Job
Watching my tiny baby plump up
with only my milk to
help her along
A half of a year has passed and
she is so healthy and strong.
My Achievement
Middle of the night and nursing
my tired baby back to sleep
Not having to get out of bed and
a baby who rarely makes a peep.
My Secret Weapon
A little girl who is literally
attached at my hip, we do
everything together
So much more than mother and
daughter…already best of
friends forever
Our Bond
Nicole Love Weber,
Wellington, Florida
Life Support
Hooked up I am!
Mothers’ Voices
Afflicted for Eve’s sin,
Beneficial to my kin.
Worthwhile liquid gold,
Wondering ‘till how old!
Sara H. Eichler,
New York, NY
Your tongue-tie was clipped while
you slept, not even a flinch.
The cranial sacral therapist worked
your palate, jaw, temples and neck
and you actually could lie on your
left side without a fit, and opened
your mouth wider than before.
Amazing. She said you were
complex, which made me smile.
This is only the beginning.
Sore back, sore shoulders and
beat up breast, I try to remember
to breathe and relax. All this will
pass and you will grow plump and
change so rapidly. These days of
newness are so short, even when
they last all night.
Kara Marsee,
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Oh, sweet baby at my breast
please open your tiny lips wide
and keep my nipples from these
cracks that burn.
Your entrance into this world came
fast in peace and water and love at
home. Thorough midwives noticed a
slight tongue-tie and asymmetry that
warranted cranial sacral evaluation.
But weight gain was going
well, so mama shrugged off
recommendations and bit her lip
through latch pain.
A bear cub with hands that don’t
understand you scratch and claw
at my sore nipple while I fling my
breast here and there dodging blows
and confusing the target. Sweat and
milk dripping, you arch against my
hand and split into a scream, and
I try not to join in. Speaking with a
soft voice, I try to reassure you that
it’s OK, while dreading the shallow
latch I sometimes thrust into. Football
hold was our only answer to nursing
on one side it was as if you could
not tolerate laying that way.
A Father’s
Work
Alice Ziring, submitted this
photograph of her son, Jon,
snuggling his newborn daughter,
Katherine Amaya, while looking
up information for his wife in the
newly revised eighth edition of The
Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.
Alice Ziring,
Mercer Island, Washington
At two weeks old, mastitis struck,
sending mama to bed and to the
phone to seek out help and those
ignored recommendations.
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 31
Eating Wisely
Baking Cookies: Healthy,
Yummy and Educational!
Lesley Robinson
Ottawa, Canada
Cookies don’t have to be overly sugary or full of unhealthy
fats. That’s because they don’t have to come from a store.
Baking cookies is a wonderful activity to do with young
children and, as well as providing fun and togetherness,
baking can provide lessons in math and science. Measuring
ingredients or calculating quantities if a recipe is modified
can afford wonderful learning opportunities. You can take the
opportunity to talk about where the ingredients come from and
how flour is produced from grains or how butter is made from
cream. You can even make your own butter by putting cream
in a closed jar and taking turns to shake it until it becomes
solid. Oven temperatures and timers need to be set while
magical things happen in the oven, which illustrate scientific
principles.
Of all the stories I used to tell my children, their favorite was
the one about three little bears (with names remarkably similar
to their own) who helped their mother bake cookies with
disastrous results! They particularly enjoyed the fact that their
own efforts were usually successful and they took great pride
in their culinary skills. For me it was worth putting up with
a little extra mess and spending a little longer than usual in
the kitchen in order to spend a productive and educational
afternoon with my children; after all, the cleanup was part of
the fun.
32 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
Before you start
Mixing
I don’t know how many times I
said it, but my children would
always roll their eyes when I
asked, “What’s the first thing
you have to do when you bake
cookies?” They knew that the
answer was “Wash your hands!”
That, too, was part of the fun.
Everyone had their own apron
to wear and the chef of the day
would wear the chef’s hat. We
would read through the recipe
together and make sure that we
had all the necessary ingredients
and equipment on hand, and we
would remember that the second
thing to do would be to set the
oven temperature and turn on the
oven.
Mixing takes much longer by
hand than with an electric mixer
(and more might get tasted along
the way), but it gives little chefs
the opportunity to get a real feel
for the work of mixing cookies.
If I used the electric mixer, the
children would learn about
adding ingredients gradually,
so the mixer wouldn’t send a
“poof” of flour all over the kitchen,
although when this happened it
would cause great delight among
the onlookers.
Measuring
Liquids can be measured in glass
or plastic measuring cups with
spouts. You can teach your child
how to set the cup on a level
surface and get their eyes at
the right level to read the marks
accurately, like a scientist. Here’s
where the math lesson comes in.
If a recipe requires 1½ cups of
milk, for instance, you can use a
one-cup measuring cup and fill it
first to the one-cup line, then again
to the ½ cup line to add up to
the amount you need. The same
goes for dry ingredients, using
plastic or metal measuring cups or
spoons.
Forming the cookies
Rolling out dough is lots of fun,
and every one can participate.
Each child can choose his own
cookie cutter and will know his
own cookies by their shape.
Here’s another educational
opportunity to learn about shapes
and sizes. For drop cookies, the
children learn how big a spoonful
will be needed for each cookie
and how far apart to space them.
If you make bar cookies, you’ll be
able to talk about fractions when
you cut them.
Baking
This is when mother really needs
to take charge to keep little hands
from getting burnt on hot ovens
and cookie sheets. However,
children can participate by setting
timers and, if you have a window
in your oven door, they can watch
the magic as the cookies rise,
spread, and brown.
Eating Wisely
Gingerbread
People
from the Kids’ Cookbook
section of Whole Foods for
the Whole Family
You will need
Large bowl and spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Cookie sheets
Cookie cutters
Table knife
Smaller bowl
Rolling pin (optional)
Potholders or oven mitts
Cooling rack or brown paper
Pastry bag or cake decorator
(optional)
Can you
Turn on oven?
Set timer?
Use measuring cups and spoons?
Mix ingredients in a bowl?
Press or roll out dough?
Use cookie cutters or knife?
Use pastry bag for decorating
(optional)?
¼ C. honey
1 C. molasses
1 large egg
½ C. oil
1 ¼ t. cinnamon
1 ¼ t. ginger
4 C whole wheat flour
4 t. baking powder
½ t. oil or butter for greasing
For decorating (optional)
raisins, currants
carob chips
coconut
nuts and seeds
other dried fruits, cut-up
cream cheese thinned with honey
(can be colored with natural fruit
juices)
1. Mix honey, molasses, egg, oil,
ginger, and cinnamon in large
bowl.
2. Into small bowl measure out
flour. Add baking powder.
3. Add flour to wet mixture. Mix
well until dough is stiff.
4. Use hands to form dough into
ball. Chill in refrigerator for 1 to
2 hours (the colder the dough, the
easier it is to work with).
5. When ready to use dough,
preheat oven to 325° F.
6. Grease cookie sheets with oil
or butter.
7. Press out pieces of dough by
hand or roll to 1/8” thick right on
cookie sheet, using a little flour
on rolling pin or hands to prevent
sticking.
8. Use cookie cutters or knife to cut
out any number of shapes.
9. Decorate as you like before
baking. Or use cream cheese
and honey icing after cookies are
cool. Use a pastry bag or just ice.
Decorations will stick to icing.
10. Bake for 10 minutes; bottom of
cookie will be light brown.
11. Remove from oven with
potholders. Transfer with pancake
turner to cooling rack or brown
paper.
Oatmeal
Cookies
Whole Foods for the Whole Family
½ C. oil or butter
1 C. brown sugar or ¾ C honey
1 egg
¼ C. water, juice or milk
1 t. vanilla
1 C. whole wheat flour
½ C. dry milk powder
¼ t. salt (optional)
½ baking soda
1 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon (optional)
2 C. rolled oats
1 C. wheat germ
¼ C. bran (optional)
½ C. chopped nuts, seeds,
coconut, dried fruit, or carob chips
(optional)
Thoroughly beat oil, brown sugar,
egg, water, and vanilla. Add
flour, dry milk powder, salt, soda,
and cinnamon. Beat well. Mix in
oats, wheat germ, and optional
bran, nuts, seeds, etc. Drop by
teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie
sheets. Bake at 350° F for 10 to 12
minutes, or until lightly browned.
“Eating Wisely” is edited
by LLL Leader Lesley Robinson.
She lives in Ottawa, Canada
with husband, Mark. Her three
grown children have flown
the nest.
Please send stories and photos
to eating.wisely@lllusa.org.
2010 | Issue 5&6 | New Beginnings 33
World Breastfeeding
Alabama Celebration Inspires Georgia
Leader To Raise Awareness
school. I was always disappointed
in myself as October came to a
close and I had missed another
year of raising awareness in my
community and raising money for
the local Group.
This year was looking just like the
past years for me. I felt I had too
much to do and too little time in
which to do it. Then something
really cool happened. A Leader
friend in Alabama, Sue Rickman,
who got her start as a Group
member in Savannah, started
posting about the event she was
planning for LLL of the Shoals.
She was having a huge daylong
celebration in a local park with
kids’ activities, a silent auction, a
bake sale, and live music. I was
inspired.
Wendy Cohen,
Savannah, Georgia
“La Leche League of Savannah
hosted a free family picnic and
carnival on September 13 in Hull
Park for World Breastfeeding
Week. Children’s activities, a silent
auction and a raffle offered an
afternoon of fun for the dozens of
families who attended.”
The above was published in the
Savannah (Georgia) Morning
News, September 21, 2009, on
me in the right direction with links
to the WBWC kit, which is on the
LLLUSA Web site at http://www.
lllusa.org/wbw/index.php.
Next, I sent out press releases
and posted the event on every
online community calendar that
came to mind. To say I was busy
and overwhelmed during this time
would be true, but I was also very
excited at the possibilities. Could
we get news coverage? Would
they print a story in the paper?
Would I be interviewed on the
news?
the front page of the “Accent”
section. Included were four
beautiful color photos taken
at the event by the newspaper
photographer.
First, I started a letter writing
campaign to solicit funds for our
event. I sent letters to friends,
family, and local businesses
explaining LLL of Savannah’s
purpose and what our plans were
to celebrate WBWC. I wanted to
cover the estimated expenses of
the event before I started planning.
Within a few weeks I received
$500 in donations!
Finally, I started making calls
and sending e-mails to vendors
that were on lists I obtained from
Stephanie Jordan and Megan
Topper. They had planned silent
auctions for LLL of Georgia
before, so why should I recreate
the wheel? Megan even sent me
a copy of the letter she used to
solicit donations from companies.
What a help that was! Co-Leaders
Phoebe and Leia had their own
contacts as well and were able to
secure donations for the auction.
We were even able to get an
“organic milk for a year” donation
from Organic Valley.
Here’s the story of how LLL of
Savannah came to have a large
World Breastfeeding Week
Celebration (WBWC). For a
couple of years I had thought
about planning a WBWC event
for LLL of Savannah, but the timing
never seemed right. I was busy
with my family and volunteering at
Then, I rented space at a local
park and secured an inflatable
bounce house. The owner of
the inflatables company gave
us a break on the price because
we were using this as part of a
fundraiser. I contacted Melanie
Garland, the WBWC Coordinator
for LLL of Georgia. She pointed
In the end, we had a three-hour
long celebration at a local park.
Our World Breastfeeding Week
Celebration boasted an inflatable
bounce house/slide combo,
balloons, face painting, a silent
auction, raffle, and food sale. We
had over 100 participants and
grossed almost $1800.
34 New Beginnings | Issue 5&6 | 2010
World Breastfeeding
Our event raised over $680 for our Group
expenses and to purchase copies of The
Breastfeeding Answer Book for pediatricians’
offices, in addition to another $680 for other LLL
entities and programs, including WBWC Grants
to Leaders.
I was interviewed on an early local morning
news show a few days before the event and two
news stations came out on the day of the event
to get film footage and interviews. Pictures of
the event made it into the “Accent” section of the
local newspaper with a nice big headline.
Fun fact: A few days before the event
I went to see my hair stylist for routine
hair therapy. I had her put a nice, blue
streak in my hair for breastfeeding
awareness. I love it and will probably
keep it in my hair for quite some time.
People ask me about it all the time
and are interested to hear that I’m
promoting breastfeeding awareness
with my blue hair.
One WBWC
Grant + One
Fundraiser = One
Amazing Outreach
Program
Linda Parry, WBWC Grants Team,
Matthews, North Carolina
They were awarded a 2010 World
Breastfeeding Week Celebrations Grant of
$875 which would pay for 145 bags. Their
goal was 400 bags, so they had a campaign
to raise enough money to produce the rest.
They distributed letters to the local obstetricians
and pediatricians and raised $1050. Then
they decided to include their breastfeeding
mothers by posting a letter about the project
on Facebook, sending to all LLL email contacts
and setting up a PayPal account, raising $405.
Leaders hosted yard sales on two separate
weekends, bringing in $180.
The finished bag contained a letter explaining
how and why the bags were produced (with
the Group Meeting schedules on the back), LLL
Breastfeeding Tips tear-off sheet, a refrigerator
magnet with contact numbers of Group Leaders,
and the DVD “Breastfeeding: You Can Do It!” by
Pamela Wiggins, IBCLC. They were able to keep
the cost down by getting discounts for several
items in the bag.
Many thanks to LLL Leaders Christina Chunn,
Jennifer Shaw, Linda McGrath, Jennifer
Collins, Juli Stockwell and Bonnie Myers. They
considered their campaign to be a World
Breastfeeding Week Celebrations event, so they
are giving back to WBWC Grants, making funds
available in 2011 for other Groups.
THANK YOU TO THE
WORLD BREASTFEEDING
WEEK CELEBRATIONS
2010 PRIZE SPONSORS!
PLATINUM Dual Elite LEVEL ($5,000+)
Mothering Magazine
Motherlove Herbal Company
Sleepy Wrap/Boba
PLATINUM LEVEL ($4,000+)
Mother’s Milk Tea
by Traditional Medicinals
AMYTHEST LEVEL ($2500+)
ERGO Baby Carrier, Inc.
SILVER LEVEL (200+)
Platypus Media
Science Naturally!
BRONZE LEVEL (Cottage Industry)
Fresh Baby
Mama Knows Breast
Mommy Necklaces
Over the Shoulder Baby Holder
The Umbilical Card
Wrapsody
La Leche League of Starkville/Columbus,
Mississippi, had a goal of reaching mothers
during pregnancy by connecting with local
obstetricians to spark conversations between
expectant women and their doctors regarding
breastfeeding. To accomplish this they wanted
to assemble prenatal breastfeeding information
bags and deliver them to obstetricians in three
counties.
2010 | Issue 4 | New Beginnings 35
To Honor and Remember
To Honor
Diva Rumina
She who watches over nursing mothers and
suckling infants. From an anonymous donor
in Brooklyn, NY
Melissa Kacalanos
To Melissa and Baby Thelma, with love from
Grandma. From Reeva Miller, New Paltz,
NY
LLL USA Interim Council
To Honor my hardworking sister Leaders
on the LLL USA interim council.
From Judith Gibel
Nancy Miller
Nancy is a wonderfully dedicated
volunteer. I wanted to make this donation in
appreciation for the time and support that
she has given me, and in honor of all of the
energy that she and the other LLL volunteers
and Leaders have invested in support of
breastfeeding women. From an anonymous
donor in Seattle, WA
To Remember
Emil L. Hopf
In memory of Emil L. Hopf, June 24, 2010
Husband to Teresa, a retired LLL Leader, and
father to Edward and Eric. He will be missed
by many. From La Leche League Dubois and
surrounding area, Indiana
Leaders in Miami-Dade County
To honor our wonderful co-Leaders in MiamiDade County. From LLL South Central Miami
NEW TRIBUTE Submission GuidELines!
For significant events in the life of someone you care about, have you considered a tribute gift?
You can make a donation to La Leche League USA (LLL
USA) in the name of a family member or friend to Honor or
Remember them. Your tax-deductible donation will show that
you care about them while also helping LLL USA further its
mission to help mothers breastfeed.
community whose main focus is helping mothers to
breastfeed. While we can respect personal beliefs reflected
here because of the nature of the tributes, this column is not
intended for social commentaries outside the focus of La
Leche League International.
For a minimum gift of $50, New Beginnings will publish
your special message of congratulations, encouragement,
appreciation, or condolences; limit tributes to 20 words.
Please keep in mind that La Leche League is a diverse
To submit a tribute gift, please send a check and the tribute
wording to LLL USA, 957 N. Plum Grove Rd.,
Schaumburg, IL 60173
36 New Beginnings | Issue 4 | 2010