Born to be Breastfed

Maybe you’ve heard this discussion about breastfeeding: Is it hands on, or hands off? And whose hands are we talking about? Hers, his, theirs, yours, or ours? You know that breastfeeding in the first hour of life is a proven strategy for helping milk to come in sooner, but what do you do if your preterm baby is whisked off to the NICU in the first few minutes?

Join Marie and pediatrician, adjunct professor, video producer and author, Jane Morton, MD, as they discuss how the natural act of breastfeeding can be hindered by the unnatural events that may unfold, and the special situation of the preterm infant and his mother. Listen to her describe how her patients were able to increase their milk supply by 48%, even though their babies were too premature to suckle! Dr. Morton offers some interesting perspectives that might run counter to what you’ve heard or read…and yet, she makes valid, scientifically proven points that are clinically relevant and fairly simple to implement.

Try to imagine being a nursing mother who discovers a lump in your breast. For a few days, you assume it’s just a plugged duct, and don’t give it much more thought. But it persists, and your doctor says it’s a cancerous lump. How will this affect your milk, or even the functional ability of your breast to produce milk now and in the future? Why is your doctor insisting on an abrupt weaning? What about the surgery, the medications, and the radiation treatments that loom large in your future? And, maybe…the question of your very survival.Join Marie and her guest, Ciara Devine as they discuss her frightening journey. You’ll learn how Ciara’s healthcare team reacted, how she handled weaning her child, how she struggled with the decision to get pregnant during a planned interruption of her anti-cancer drug, and how she found the courage to nurse her second child. Finally, hear Ciara’s recommendation for practical ideas on how to help other women who may find themselves in this situation.

Approximately 7% of breast cancer patients are diagnosed before they reach age 40, and about 3% are diagnosed before age 35. A few are diagnosed before age 30. Since all of the women in these groups are of childbearing age, the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer affects their plans for pregnancy and breastfeeding. This creates many questions for the affected women, as well as maternal-child specialists who interact with them later.

Join Marie and her guest, researcher and clinical physician, Olivia Pagani, MD, to hear the scientifically-proven answers to so many questions: What do young women with breast cancer think and fear about subsequent pregnancy? Do healthcare professionals address fertility issues with women who are (or were) being treated for cancer? Is pregnancy after breast cancer safe for the mother—or the baby? Is breastfeeding after breast cancer feasible, and safe? Dr. Pagani will address all of these and more questions on today’s episode.

Most of us assume that babywearing is, well, nice; a new fad that might be fun to try. Fewer of us recognize it as a practice with ancient roots in hunter-gatherer societies. And scarcely anyone would consider it as a biological, psychological or sociological imperative for the modern family, and yet, perhaps we should.

Join Marie and her guest, Rosie Knowles, a general practitioner and author of Why Babywearing Matters. Dr. Knowles tells us a surprisingly candid and heartwarming story of how she became interested in babywearing, and why she has spearheaded efforts to normalize babywearing in her community. How can babywearing affect your baby’s muscle development, eye development, or likelihood of flat-head syndrome or reflux? How is the interaction different between baby and adults during babywearing? Learn how mothers and other family members can and should do babywearing on a regular basis in order to reap the many physical and psychologic benefits for themselves.

New parents often hear that they should let the baby “cry it out” lest they “spoil” the baby. Many parents take such advice to heart and try strategies like “crying it out,” especially at naptime or bedtime. After all, the argument goes, how will the baby ever learn to settle himself? However, our understanding of brain development in infancy and toddlerhood shows the error in such thinking: Babies need loving and responsive positive caregiving for healthy development. If you’ve done “cry it out,” you may worry that you’ve damaged your child. Take heart. There is hope. Join Marie as she talks with Tracy Cassels, PhD about how to support your baby’s needs and recover from “cry it out.” (Be sure to also listen to: “Sleep Like A Baby: What it Means and What it Doesn't http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/90522/sleep-like-a-baby-what-it-means-and-what-it-doesnt)

Maybe you believe that latching is an inborn ability. Maybe you think it’s odd that your newborn seems hungry, but he acts frustrated and even pulls away when you offer to nurse. You’ve had help from the nurse, the lactation consultant, the doctor, and others. But your baby still has difficulty latching. Is it possible that some musculoskeletal problem impedes his ability to latch and/or swallow? If so, can a chiropractor help?

Join Marie and her guest, Andrew Dorough, DC, as they describe various musculoskeletal problems that newborns can experience, often as a result of the labor/delivery process. Hear why pediatric chiropractic techniques are safe and effective (and how they differ from techniques used on adults.) Learn the importance of early chiropractic visits, how to recognize classic signs of newborn musculoskeletal problems, where to find specially-certified pediatric chiropractors, and how just a few treatments can make a dramatic difference for pain-free, optimal latch.

You have decided to take the IBLCE Exam, but even before you get into study mode, you need to know plenty of facts about actually applying for the exam! Have questions? You are not alone!

Join Marie in this special episode where she spills out 50 real questions that IBCLC candidates have asked her over the years. Get some straight answers about eligibility requirements for the IBLCE Exam. Marie has prepared thousands of IBCLC candidates, so there is a high likelihood that someone else has already asked YOUR question — and Marie has the answer! No matter what your background is, no matter which pathway you are pursuing, and no matter whether you are starting from scratch or nearly ready to apply for the exam, Marie will help you to get the answer, and find more resources—including free resources-- to help you on your professional journey.

So your grandchild is being breastfed and you are not sure where your support needs to start or where your advice needs to end. Breastfeeding is a personal thing, shared by the mother and the baby. Yet, as the grandmother, sometimes you do know what is best—but should you say? You want to be helpful, but not too helpful.

Listen as Jeanne Friebe, RN, BSN, IBCLC, RNC-LRN (a.k.a. Granny-Nanny) talks about her journey moving from her role as a registered nurse with 35 years of experience to becoming a first-time grandmother—that is, having no experience—in this very different role. Jeanne describes her ongoing learning of how to be helpful yet allowing her daughter to find her own way, identifying resources she and her daughter have found together, the importance of family support, and how to know when to seek non-family support.

Are your nipples tender, painful, sore, cracked, bleeding, dry, or infected? Have your friends—or even health care professionals—urged you to put some cream, ointment, oil or other product on your nipples? Would it work if you did? Which is a magic bullet—if any? Do these products prevent, or cure—both, or neither? Have any been proven to be safe and effective? Does one work better than another? Are there any to avoid, or any that taste bad to the baby? How much do you apply, and must it be washed off before each feeding? And might putting some of you milk on your nipples work just as well, or perhaps better?

Join Marie and pharmacist Wendy Jones for a whirlwind tour of the 10 creams and ointments most often seen in clinical practice in the US and in the UK. Hear some verbatim quotes from the research, as well as Marie's and Wendy’s expert opinions. Find out when and if these are best for your problem—or if you need a different kind of help.

The impact of breastfeeding on the baby’s health is indisputable. But can the act of breastfeeding generate new interest, support, and approval from family members, neighbors and, even strangers? Yes! Angel Warren started Chocolate Milk Mommies to portray a positive message about breastfeeding in public. Starting with a photo shoot, she and a few loyal supporters soon realized that the Chocolate Milk Mommies could offer so much more to black mothers.

Join Marie and her guests, Chocolate Milk Mommies Jennifer Miller and Tiffany Campbell. Hear what inspired them to breastfeed, despite having no breastfeeding role models within their own families. Pause and find out why they joined the group, and what keeps them driven to continue carrying out its mission. Gain some insights into why women often don’t initiate or continue breastfeeding. Learn how breastfeeding not only nurtured their babies, but also created a positive impact on their families and their communities.