Breastfeeding in the news....Sweden

Substance in Breast Milk Kills Cancer Cells, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2010) — A substance found in breast milk can kill cancer cells, reveal studies carried out by researchers at Lund University and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Although the special substance, known as HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumour cells), was discovered in breast milk several years ago, it is only now that it has been possible to test it on humans. Patients with cancer of the bladder who were treated with the substance excreted dead cancer cells in their urine after each treatment, which has given rise to hopes that it can be developed into medication for cancer care in the future.

Discovered by chance

HAMLET was discovered by chance when researchers were studying the antibacterial properties of breast milk. Further studies showed that HAMLET comprises a protein and a fatty acid that are both found naturally in breast milk. So far, however, it has not been proven that the HAMLET complex is spontaneously formed in the milk. It is speculated, however, that HAMLET can form in the acidic environment of the babies´ stomachs. Laboratory experiments have shown that HAMLET kills 40 different types of cancer, and the researchers are now going on to study its effect on skin cancer, tumours in the mucous membranes and brain tumours. Importantly, HAMLET kills only cancer cells and does not affect healthy cells.

Studying the integration of the substance

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg are focusing on how HAMLET can be taken up into tumour cells. The researchers, Roger Karlsson, Maja Puchades and Ingela Lanekoff, are attempting to gain an in-depth understanding of how the substance interacts with cell membranes, and their findings were recently published in the journal PLoS One.

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Breastfeeding in the news....Spain via India

LONDON: Working dads may wish to take Spanish citizenship after reading this.


Europe's top court has ruled that working fathers in Spain are entitled to take " breastfeeding leave" daily even if the child's mother is not employed.

The new ruling by the European Union Court of Justice in Luxembourg means that both the mother and father are allowed to leave work for an hour during the day or reduce their working day by half an hour during the first nine months following the birth of a child, the Telegraph reported.

In Spain, fathers are currently only allowed to apply for breastfeeding leave if the mother is employed full time.

But, the top court ruled last week that the Spanish law, which was instituted in 1900 to facilitate breastfeeding by the mother, caused an "unjustified discrimination on grounds of sex" as fathers do not have the same rights as mothers.

The Spanish man who challenged the law, Pedro Manuel Roca Alvarez, said his request to take breastfeeding leave from his job in Galicia was rejected because the mother of his child was self-employed.

Such a refusal, the court said, could have the effect of forcing self-employed mothers to limit their work because the father cannot share the burden.

Not giving dads the same right as mums in this case "is liable to ... keep men in a role subsidiary to that of women in relation to the exercise of their parental duties," the court ruled.

Breastfeeding leave should now be considered as "time purely devoted to the child" in order to reconcile family life and work after maternity leave, the court said.

Read more: Spanish dads can now take 'breastfeeding leave' - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/mad-mad-world/Spanish-dads-can-now-take-breastfeeding-leave/articleshow/6683894.cms#ixzz11XoGLbH3

Breastfeeding in the news...in Ireland

NO NEED TO GET IN A PANIC, IT'S ONLY A BREAST

THAT'S MEN: Discomfort over breastfeeding is irrational, writes PADRAIG O'MORAIN

BACK IN the last century, a female colleague threw her male co-workers, including myself, into a state of alarm by announcing that she would be taking her baby to the Christmas party. She needed to breastfeed the baby every two hours, so if she was at the party, baby had to be there too.

Why were we alarmed? I suppose because having a mother sitting at a table and breastfeeding amid the turkey, ham and stuffing seemed incompatible with the night of serious boozing we had in mind.

The trouble was, it would be politically incorrect to raise this issue with her, and we were a very politically correct bunch of people.

In the end, it was other mothers who worked with us who saved the day. They explained to the new mother that they got enough of babies and children in their own homes and that they simply did not want to have a baby around when they were trying to enjoy a good knees-up.

The mother relented and stayed away while the rest of us went on to murder trillions of brain cells with alcohol as planned.

I was reminded of all this when I got a press release from the HSE promoting National Breastfeeding Week, which is under way as you read this. The week features breastfeeding art exhibitions and also coffee mornings, though the babies, I presume, will be sticking to milk.

But why did the idea of a woman breastfeeding at our party spook us all back in the day? I don’t think it was really to do with the booze – I think we would have been equally spooked if we had all been going to, say, a coffee morning.

What’s more I think that a similar announcement by a mother today would have the same effect on quite a lot of people.

It’s all totally irrational. A woman’s body is not actually a bomb and it is safe to let it out in public. Moreover, we are used to seeing breasts exposed in newspapers and on television – so used to it that we don’t actually notice half the time.

We still hear lots of stories from the US of women being thrown out of supermarkets and other places for breastfeeding on the go.

American women with their wonderful feistiness tend to respond, not by ringing Joe Duffy but by holding nurse-ins where lots of them turn up at the offending institution and breastfeed in protest.

When Barbara Walters said on TV five years ago that sitting beside a breastfeeding mother on a plane made her uncomfortable, 200 mothers held a breastfeed-fest outside the studios.

I notice that the HSE’s Lisa Corbett urges us, the Irish people, to “ensure breastfeeding mothers feel more confident in responding to the needs of their breastfeeding babies when outside home”.

That suggests that we, or some of us, continue to be spooked by public breastfeeding – that’s probably why you can go from one end of the year to the next without seeing anyone doing it. Even the pyjama brigade who go to the shop, the school and everywhere else in their PJs seem to shy away from being seen to breastfeed, though they may not be into it in the first place given that smoking and breastfeeding at the same time can be tricky.

Why are we still discombobulated by the sight of a mother breastfeeding in public? I don’t know but I think it’s fascinating that the question even arises.

Are we paying for sexualising the female breast in Western society? After all, in some societies breasts are just for feeding babies, though I have to admit that I derive this information entirely from National Geographic.

Perhaps we dislike the reminder that, after all, we are not the divine creatures we sometimes like to make ourselves out to be?

Whatever the answer, good luck to the breastfeeding cohorts of mná na hÉireann. And everyone else, keep calm.

Padraig O’Morain (pomorain@ireland.com) is a counsellor accredited by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. His book, Light Mind – Mindfulness for Daily Living, is published by Veritas. His mindfulness newsletter is free by e-mail

What to expect when you're nursing

This week we are linking up with our monthly sponsor Motherlove.

In celebration of Birth Month.....this month has the highest percentage of births
we wanna give out advice to the mamas to be about what to expect.

Advice, concerns, helpful thoughts ALL wanted!
Please take the time to write out your love to the mamas who need the support!

I will bookmark and sidebar this post with the AMAZING comments I am sure you will write so that all the future breastfeeding moms can peruse and learn!

Motherlove will have great prizes again and I will set up an RSVP linky tomorrow night with extra chances to enter for fans/subscribers and those who gave advice!

#BfCafe Welcomes Expert Diana West, IBCLC

We have an expert on board!

Please welcome Diana West, IBCLC.

Diana has co-written numerous books:
Making More Milk
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
and
Breastfeeding After Breast and Nipple Surgeries

You can also find a plethora of information on Diana's websites in regards to breastfeeding!

Diana will pop in during some chats while she isn't gallivanting around the country speaking to women about the power of breastfeeding!

Diana will have her very own "Ask the Expert" weeks where she will take questions for the entire chat.

Diana will be available for questions through the blog here and also through twitter.

Let's welcome her aboard!!

Weaning vs Strikes

If you have found that your nursling has abruptly stopped. That is a strike.
Weaning takes time.

Strikes can happen for numerous reasons.....so look for these on top of the onset of a strike:
teething
new growth (milestones etc)
changes in environment
injury to baby (recent fall or accident)

Weaning is not a bad thing.
I think we put so much emphasis on child-led weaning that we tend to negate mother-led weaning.

Tips on how to mother-led wean:
Take out the mid-day feeds.
Go slow.....if baby is resisting. (Some may not resist at all!)
Lastly take away the most important feed to your baby.
(Some may be the 1st in the morning and some may be the night-time session.)

If you have the time, go slow and at your baby's speed.
For me....it took 3 days!
It can be done mamas!
Congrats to how far you've come!

10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
Did you even know such a thing existed before you nursed?
Maybe if we each told 5 people about this week, and those 5 told 3 and those 3 told even 1, we could dramatically inspire and educate the people of the Unites States!
How will you celebrate this week?

The WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF have together comprised this list and it is used in over 150 countries on the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding.

The Ten Steps for health facilities to take towards ensuring successful breastfeeding are as follows:

Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.

Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.

Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.

Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth.

Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.

Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated.

Practice "rooming in" – allowing mothers and infants to remain together – 24 hours a day.

Encourage breastfeeding on demand – whenever the baby is hungry.

Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.

Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Malnutrition is responsible for one-third of the 8.8 million deaths annually among children under five. It can be a direct cause of death but is also the most important single risk factor for disease in young children. Over two thirds of these deaths, which are often associated with inappropriate feeding practices such as bottle-feeding or untimely and inadequate complementary foods, occur during the first months of life.

“It is estimated that around 35% of infants aged 0 to 6 months are exclusively breastfed in the world today,” says Dr Elizabeth Mason, Director of WHO's Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development. “But if all babies and young children were breastfed exclusively for their first six months of life and then given nutritious complementary food with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age, the lives of an additional 1.5 million children under five would be saved every year.”

Publish Post

Interesting boob facts! This week's #BfCafe

I don't have a sponsor for this week, so after scratching my head...I came up with this fun idea!

I have 20 fun and interesting facts on breasts that I am going to share with you tonight!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter, to learn the facts
and
facebook fan #bfcafe in hopes of finding a sponsor for future weeks!

MoBoleez Recap on confident nursing in public

(TELL ME THIS HAT ISN'T ADORABLE!!!)

Here are the tips Diane Currie Sam had for those that attended.
(She is the inventor of MoBoleez)

Obtaining Confidence in Public:
My first tip for NIP - relax and have a sense of humor!
Start slow if you feel awkward or nervous. i.e. maybe with just women around
If you want to use the MoBoleez hat, put in on babe's head first,
then hook him/her up - easy peasy :)
Talking to a supportive mom or lactation consultant about your concerns helps too

What to say when people ask about your nursing:
I'd say to others "this is what works for me"
To others, just address it calmly, don't ask permission, you don't need it.
I'd also say whatever calm, powerful mommy comment you're going to say, with a smile and a sense of humor
when people ask "how long are you going to nurse" I say "not sure" and laugh or say "you should ask him" and point to baby


Nursing Older babies:
I used to like to go someplace quiet, so if you like that too, just ask, many venues will help you find a quiet spot to NIP
re: active 10 month old - try gently rubbing or swinging his other arm , distracting him/her helps
nursing necklaces are worn by mom and designed to be baby-safe and can be a fun way to keep a baby busy



MoBoleez has New PRINTS coming out!
Check out their facebook page for an exclusive sneak peak!
Follow @dianecurriesam for more wonderful wisdom on NIP

Why your milk may decrease & how to boost it back up!

This past Thursday we talked supply....again.

I think it is important to understand why and how your supply can decrease in an effort to control & manage it.

We talked about emptying your breast. Pumping after each feed, if you feel that the baby did not finish. Example: baby falling asleep or too distracted during a feed. We talked about hormonal issues that cause milk supply to diminish or be low from the start such as: high estrogen, testosterone, thyroid issues and PCOS.
(There are plenty more issues that can affect supply)

Breast tissue damage & scarring is another issue to be aware of.
Nipple piercing, reductions and biopsies can cause decreases, to name a few.
There are anti-galactofuges that cause milk reduction.
Such as peppermints, parsley and thyme...to name a few!
Birth control, and medicines that dry up nasal/sinus issues and alcohol and tobacco use.

On the bright side there are numerous ways to boost back and make supply!

Water and diet, first and foremost.

If tissue damage has occurred, Motherlove has Goat's Rue that helps restore and build tissue. This product can even help for adoptive moms to lactate.
Oats. Oatmeal, oat tea or oat bread!
Motherlove has the number one selling product for supplements. More Milk Plus. I prefer the capsules to the liquid.
Herbal Galactofuges. Such as fenugreek, blessed thistle and many more.

(This is a recap of the #BfCafe as I remembered it while typing this post from my phone!)

For more information click on any of the links above that will direct you to the Motherlove website.

I knew I liked this lady: Michelle Obama & breastfeeding

I'll be honest with you...I voted Democrat in the last election. I don't care "where" you stand or how strong your loyalty lies.....if you are a human, a woman and a mother...
it is impossible to not agree with Michelle Obama on this.

She may be some 15 years older than me but her childhood sounds similar to mine and I can only hope that my children say the same thing. I teared up a tad while reading...I really did!

Check out her latest speech on childhood obesity and breastfeeding.
Happy Reading!

Lopsided boobs?

Undercover Mama was our sponsor and we gave out three tanks!
She also sent out a very generous coupon code "CAFE" that will give you 20% off your order!
These ingenious tanks attach to whatever bra you have on, instantly making it a nursing tank! *love this idea*

We talked about milk.
How in the beginning while preggo and until you deliver your placenta that milk is a given. That it is not supply and demand made but instead hormonally made. If you are preggo and you have a baby, you will most likely (unless you are the 2%) make milk.
30-72 hours after you deliver the placenta, your breasts will feel fuller and your milk has officially "come in".

Supply and demand is how you will build and maintain your supply from now on.
With each emptying if the breast, more milk will fill. The MORE empty the breast, the faster it will fill. if you do not completely empty the breast, your body will not feel the instant need to fill it, and this will affect your supply. Empty more and empty more frequently. Nursing on demand (not every 3 hours like the hospital tells you) will ensure that you make exactly what your baby needs. Pumping will ensure that you have MORE of a supply however, you may end up with an oversupply that can be harmful to the relationship down the line.

The size of your breasts does not necessarily equal the amount you are able to store.
With that being said, if you do have smaller breasts that has a smaller fullness, you will need to feed even more frequently to keep up with the supply and demand. Kellymom.com compares it to drinking from a cup. You can drink from a large or a small cup and still drink the same amount by the end of the day....BUT you will have to refill that small cup more often.

We also talked about lopsided breasts. WHY?
Well as a nursing mom, certainly you have your favorite side, as much as your nursing baby does. The smaller side is the side less taken, the side less emptied therefore the side less filled. IF the lopsidedness is an issue there are 4 ways that kellymom.com recommends & should help withing 4 days!

*offer smaller side 1st (more vigorous sucking)
*nurse preferred side until letdown then switch to smaller (try to avoid moving baby)
*pump smaller side 5-10 minutes AFTER each session
*pump smaller side in between feedings

Next week we have Motherlove supplements!
**I know we ALL love to talk about BUILDING our supply**

Recap of last week's BfCafe

I've literally just realized that some of my readers might not tweet! So, from now on (hopefully the day after) I will provide details, info and facts from the previous chat. I will from now on, chose a winner from the comments to the #BfCafe RSVP post to win one of the products being given away, in case there is a reader who does not have access to twitter.

This week we talked about pumping. Simple Wishes was our sponsor and she provided 3 bras to the participants.

Our first topic was how much baby needs when you leave her/him behind.
I was even surprised by the numbers that I found on Kellymom.com. I have always told my peers that it was an ounce per hour and that breastmilk changes to the baby's needs. This is true. However, I did not know that between 7-11 months babies are actually eating about 30 oz. (Maybe because they are getting so active?) Babies between 11 months and 2 years only consume/need 14-19 ounces!!! Only 10-12 oz per day for a 2-3 year old!
Kellymom..com offers a pumping calculator to determine how much milk to leave behind, but I can assure you, an ounce per hour the first year of life, should be fine for your baby.
Make sure your caregiver knows the importance of using super slow flow nipples, Stopping often to burp, avoiding using bottle the instant a baby seems upset and have them try to soothe other ways besides giving a bottle of milk.

We switched topics to pumping and dumping. New research shows that it is not necessary. Pumping and dumping does not fasten the amount of time that alcohol will leave your body. If you are sober enough to drive and neurologically normal. Consuming two or more drinks may inhibit a let-down and could inhibit milk production and volume. We didn't really touch on medications and breastfeeding but kellymom.com has a chart of all approved medications.

We moved into how to use pumping as a way to increase supply. We talked about power pumping, weekend nurse ins and breast massage.
We suggested pumping early in the morning when hormone levels are the highest. Possibly checking tubing and flange size. I also pumped one breast while feeding Z on the other. I had it set up on the ottoman in his room, ready to go.

Our last topic was about oversupply and how to donate. Lots of moms during the chat have donated to friends and I can't tell you how much my heart sang! I didn't hear from any moms that jumped through the hoops of having their blood checked. Here is a link to information about milk banks.

Next week we will have Under Cover Mama as our sponsor....I was sent her product and I must say I REALLY like it!

Bravado Allure Underwire Nursing Bra Review AND GIVEAWAY!!

If you read my blog, you know I just reviewed the Essential Tank. I LOVE the essential tank....I literally wear one every single day. After a year (really two years!) of smooshed boobs and lack of any real perkiness, when Bravado asked if I wanted to review an underwire nursing bra, I JUMPED at the chance. I have never owned an underwire nursing bra!!

The bra came, in black, and super lacy. I have never been a lacy bra fan (sensitive skin) nor a lacy underwear wearer, but I was gung-ho to give it a shot. I wore the bra soon after I received it. I had completely forgotten where my bewbs were supposed to be, All of a sudden my "girls" were looking as if they were ready to party! I felt so womanly!

It took awhile longer to put the matching undies on. Believe me, Christian was BEGGING me to put them on. In one word, LOVE. The boy short is so super comfy. No riding, no itching and super sexy.....just ask Christian;) I can't believe I waited so long.

The fit was great on both the bra and the undies. I think, what was(is) better than the fit, is the way this set makes me feel. After loaning my body to the kids for 2 whole years, it was really nice, to wear something that makes me feel like a woman instead of just a mom.

Thank you Bravado, for knowing just what I needed!
(Now, if they could only give me that model's body....I'd be set!)

Bravado is offering YOU, my readers a chance to choose your own bra!

Mandatory Entry:
Tell me something you learned about their bras!

Additional Entries:
Subscribe to the Bravado mama Club
Follow Bravado Designs on twitter
Tell me which of these mamas you are?
Subscribe to my blog via email
Grab my button
Follow me on twitter and tweet:

Want #bfing bliss? ur bewbs will thank u while wearing @BravadoDesigns nursing bra of ur choice @zealandsmom ends 1/23 http://bit.ly/5ohuOa

tweet once daily for extra entries!


Good Luck!
Contest ends January 23rd

Product Provided!

Breastfeeding & Cloth Diapering

I've been a passionate person and I've ALWAYS had a larger than normal mouth. I never thought in a million years that I would be such an advocate for breastfeeding and cloth diapers. I mean if you met me, you'd think I was part hippie! I hate schedules, I hate the morning, I live on Diet Coke and chicken fingers. My first car was a 1981 Volkswagen rabbit Diesel! I hate rules, I hate being told what to do. I'm carefree, I speak before I think! I never thought I'd get married, never really thought or dreamed of having babies.....and now at the age of 29 I have everything I could ever have dreamed, I never dreamed about!

I find myself getting angry toward people/tweeters who bad mouth breastfeeding. I mean really angry! I find myself caring about the world and landfills. I yell at people who throw trash out of their car. I hate household chores (really, who doesn't) but I cloth diaper my babies! I have eaten cookies all day before yet I puree my children's food! I pre-make Zealand's food and freeze for the week and yet it doesn't phase me to have eat canned chicken and velvetta nachos for dinner!

I have no idea who this Women is that I have become. But I think I like her:)