Born to be Breastfed

Although rates of breastfeeding are generally on the rise, new data show that rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration continue to be lower among black mothers than among those of other ethnic groups. Join host Marie Biancuzzo and special guest Kimberly Seals Allers for discussion of cultural norms, particular challenges, and ways of supporting black families in initiating and continuing breastfeeding. Find out about the possible influence of socioeconomic, cultural, and parenting perspectives. Learn how health care providers, public health advocates, media, family, employers, and community all contribute to the current situation—and how they can support positive change. For questions e-mail [email protected] at any time.

Labor and birth in water is becoming an accepted practice in Australia. But many women in many parts of the world aren’t familiar with this idea. And, they might wonder if having a water birth is possible or practical in the hospital or at home.

Join Marie and her special guest Lois Wattis CM, FACM, IBCLC, as they dispel several myths about water births. Do water births offer any advantages? Under what circumstances would a water birth be safe? Do water births increase the risk for infection? Can the fetal heart rate be monitored—either intermittently or continually— when the laboring mother’s belly is submerged under water? Won’t the baby drown…if not why not? And is it true it’s more difficult for a baby to breastfeed if he has been born under water? Whether you choose a water birth or not, you’ll be fascinated to hear Lois tell the research that supports this “new” practice which is actually not new at all.

Breast augmentation surgery is the most common type of cosmetic surgery. In fact, about 1/4 of a million women undergo the procedure each year—often before they are old enough to seriously consider what impact, if any, it will have on their ability to lactate. Whether you’re just considering breast augmentation surgery or you’ve already had it, you owe it to yourself and your baby to ask plenty of questions. Are saline or silicone implants safe while lactating? Is nursing possible with after augmentation surgery, and if so, is it true that the type of incision predicts milk supply? What other breastfeeding issues might crop up, and how can they be overcome? What’s a capsular contraction, and is it worrisome? What about risk of rupture and sequent leaking. How about getting mammograms?

Join Marie to learn the questions to ask, the possible problems that can occur and how to overcome them, and some resources to help you be in control of your breasts and your breastfeeding experience.

How frequently should breastfed babies eat, and how long should they should sleep? By now, you’ve heard friends, family, doctors, and others spouting advice. Even book authors are giving conflicting advice. Understandably, you no longer know what to believe. Maybe you need to encourage your baby to sleep for longer stretches? Maybe your own sleep would be better if she would sleep longer, or at least sleep in a different room? Or maybe just switch to formula so your baby will sleep longer? And how about that recently-published study that made news headlines touting how 3-month old babies sleep better if they are fed solids? That’s a loaded question!

Join Marie and her guest, author and professor, Dr. Amy Brown, as they take you on a whirlwind tour of what’s normal, and what’s not. From a developmental, evolutionary, and cultural standpoint, you’ll begin to re-frame your ideas of what’s normal and what’s not, and how to do nighttime parenting.

Mothers have heard it. “The doctor knows best…” and “You’ve got a healthy baby, what more could you ask for?” But maybe you could have asked for—and received—so much more. With the skyrocketing cesarean rate, not to mention the increased rates of induction, artificial rupture of membranes, and long-known over-use of episiotomies and more, it’s enough to make us wonder if all of this is necessary. Join Marie and her guest, Dawn Thompson, as they give some eye-opening information about how women need to be fully prepared with the evidence, plan ahead to ask the right questions, assert themselves the boss of their own body, and have a knowledgeable advocate. Marie points out how interventions in birth spill over onto the breastfeeding and postpartum experience.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week 2018! Let the celebrations begin! The theme for this year, established by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life. More specifically, WABA has identified four objectives: Inform, anchor, engage, and galvanize. But after the cookies are eaten and the balloons are gone, Marie challenges you to find just one activity to meet those objectives in the coming year. Get tips on how to more effectively give information, anchor breastfeeding as the normal way to nourish and nurture infants and children, and engage with individuals and organizations in a more impactful way. And, if you are doubting your own power to change breastfeeding practices and galvanize action in your community—listen while Marie shows you how much power you already have! Then, be sure to listen for the special offers for free resources available at mariebiancuzzo.com throughout the week—starting with a random drawing for a free Amazon gift card!

Maybe you’ve been in that situation where someone tells you what you can’t or shouldn’t do. You’d like to do it, but after everyone keeps telling you that you can’t, or you shouldn’t after awhile, you begin to believe they might know what they’re talking about. They’ve been there, you haven’t. They seem older and wiser. So maybe that’s the case with breastfeeding. Someone has told you that you can’t breastfeed because you didn’t prepare your nipples, or your breasts are too small or it will make your breasts sag. Or you have had breast surgery. Or they tell you could breastfeed, but why would you—because there are so many hurdles to jump and luxuries to give up. Join Marie as she names several popular myths about why you couldn’t or shouldn’t breastfeed—and puts all of those myths to rest!

Here you are again. It’s late at night. Your baby is hungry and needs to be fed. You are exhausted! You just want to lie down with your baby, so both your needs and theirs can be met. But almost as often as you’ve heard guidance that you “do breastfeed,” you’ve heard admonitions that you “don’t sleep with your baby.” How can you sort it all out?

Tune in as Marie and her guest, Dr. Stacy Scott, founder of the Global Infant Safe Sleep Center, tackle the tough questions around sleep, safety, and breastfeeding. What are safe sleep practices? What research do we have—or not have? What can babies’ fathers, grandparents, and communities do to help reduce sleep-related infant deaths? What can we say or do when our recommendations to parents aren’t perceived as valuable, or even feasible? Join Marie and Dr. Scott for answers to these and many other questions, as well as info about practical, evidence-based resources for parents and providers.

Congratulations, Mom and Dad! Your baby has arrived. The time has come to nurture your little bundle of joy. You're responsible for meeting his every need. But how do you do that when he can't tell you what his needs are? How can you communicate with a baby who can't yet communicate with words? If you're Marie's special guest for this episode, Shannon Sanford, you get to work on learning your baby's other, nonverbal means of communication! Tune in for a show all about babies -- especially breastfed babies -- and how they communicate when they are preverbal. Learn common behaviors, babies' signs of readiness to learn, how nonverbal communication is essential to breastfeeding, and much more! This is the show you need, whether you are a parent with a baby, or someone who helps them.

More and more, studies are showing the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health and well-being. And, there is a clear dose-response relationship; the more ACEs the person has encountered, the greater their risk for long-term health consequences (e.g., obesity, cancer, alcoholism, depression and more.) What are categories or examples ACES during childhood? What is their impact on initiation and continuation of breastfeeding, if any? Just as importantly, what is the impact of breastfeeding on ACES, if at all?

Join Marie and her guest, Colleen Weeks, as they discuss diseases and disorders that “run in families”. Discover the critical role of the brain’s amygdala in reacting to ACES. Learn ways in which these ACES are avoidable, and how each us can hope for—and even facilitate—a child’s resilience—after ACES.