Born to be Breastfed

You've heard of hypnosis. You may even be familiar with hypnobirthing (the topic of Marie's June 15, 2015 episode: http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/85954/hypnobirthing). Did you know hypnosis can be a positive tool for breastfeeding, too? Join Marie as she talks with special guest Robin Frees, IBCLC about how mothers can use hypnosis to overcome barriers that commonly arise during breastfeeding, such as low milk supply, and inhibited milk ejection reflex. Find out about strategies such as hypnotic relaxation, imagery, and breathing, and learn how these can help whether you're breastfeeding the baby in your arms or using a pump to express milk for later feeding. This just might make the difference between surviving your breastfeeding experience and celebrating it! Questions? E-mail [email protected] any time.

We know that kratom is legal in most US states. We know that opioid use among pregnant women is on the rise in the United States, but whether kratom should be classified as an opioid is a matter of some debate. Meanwhile, there is much that we don’t know about kratom, and its effect on the fetus or the breastfeeding infant/child.

Join Marie and her guest, neonatologist Whitney Eldridge, MD, as they discuss many aspects of kratom use. How is kratom similar to or different from opioids? What are some short-term and long-term effects of kratom exposure on newborns? What questions should mothers raise before consuming kratom? Since it does not show up on routine urine testing, what are the most salient points for the healthcare provider to pursue in terms of data-gathering, recognition of adverse effects, and managing the baby? You won’t find all of the answers here, but you’ll learn to ask more and better questions.

Are you a Tricare beneficiary? Are you aware that your Tricare policy may cover some or most of the costs of banked human milk for your baby?

Join Marie and her guest, doula and retired second lieutenant Kari Haravitch as they help you to understand what this new benefit could mean for you or your baby, and what questions you should be asking. Learn the many details about what is and is not covered. Who is eligible to receive banked donor milk under the new Tricare policy? What conditions must be met? What is covered? How long does the coverage last? How much will families pay out of pocket for this benefit? What about if you’re overseas? What about if you adopted your baby? Where does the Human Milk Banking Association of North America fit into this discussion? Listen as Marie and Kari answer all of these and more questions. You might run into some limitations, but you’ll know how to ask the right questions about getting banked donor milk for your baby.

Happy World Human Milk Donation Day! It’s time to celebrate the impressive history and bright future of donor human milk banks! Like blood banks, having human milk banks can facilitate a life-saving strategy for seriously compromised infants.

Join Marie and her guest, Gillian Weaver, BSc, RD. Ms. Weaver spent 26 years managing the longest-continually operating milk bank in the world. She has since founded, directed, or served as a consultant for milk banks on four different continents, and has an impressive understanding of milk banks on two other continents. Why is donor human milk banking so important? Who donates? How do models and safety procedures differ from country to country? What are myths about donor human milk banking? While the mission of all blood banks around the world is similar, they differ in many ways. Wherever we live, how can we learn from the models, practices, and outcomes of donor milk banks elsewhere? Come and learn, reflect, and celebrate!

After birth became medicalized, skin-to-skin care was assumed to be optional, irrelevant, or unimportant. But in truth, the skin-to-skin contact between the newborn, the mother and—yes, the father—is a critical component of the transition to extrauterine life for the baby, and the transformation of individuals into family units.

Join Marie and her special guest, Nils Bergman, MB ChB, MPH, MD, as they discuss the “NurtureScience” to support the initiation and continuation of prolonged skin-to-skin contact. How and why does this critical period have a profound and life-long impact on the newborn? How long should skin-to-skin contact (aka kangaroo mother care) last? How do birth practices, especially skin-to-skin (or lack thereof) affect hormones, sensory stimuli, the limbic brain, and emotions? What is the effect of labor inductions? Whether you are the parent, the healthcare professional, or the “kangaroula”, you can create a transformational experience for the new family.

Natural disasters can happen anytime, anywhere. Around the globe, families can find themselves facing a flood ... hurricane ... forest fire ... or another catastrophe. Aid workers and local shelters are often ill-equipped to provide optimal support for infants and mothers— breastfeeding or formula-feeding. Although nursing mothers can feed their babies wherever they are, they often find themselves trying to solve breastfeeding problems they’ve never encountered before, and being undermined by bad advice during the disaster.

Join Marie and her special guest Dr. Karleen Gribble as they discuss the impact of a disaster on breastfeeding or formula-feeding before, during and after it occurs. Find out how you can help others in your community—professionals, neighbors, and aid workers—to prioritize care for mothers and young infants. And, get practical tips to achieve optimal comfort and hygiene for you and your baby, and how to how to survive—and even thrive—in such awful conditions.

Maybe you’ve heard about sensory processing disorder (SPD). There’s no solid science to identify its exact cause, but there are plenty of myths about what it is, and what it isn’t. No, SPD is not the same condition as autism; yes, even newborns can exhibit behaviors consistent with SPD, and these can and sometimes do impact breastfeeding. Since babies can exhibit these behaviors for reasons other than SPD, how can parents or professionals figure out what’s what?

Join Marie and her special guest, author Nancy Williams, MA, MFT, CCE, IBCLC, as they talk about possible birth-related triggers for SPD behaviors, how SPD might impact a baby’s behavior at breast, and three tell-tale signs that point to SPD as a likely explanation for breastfeeding difficulties. Get several of Nancy’s practical tips on how to help your baby with SPD, see how professionals in different disciplines can help the baby, and find media that help to understand and resolve the problem.

According to research, “[B]reastfed infants ingest up to 800,000 bacteria daily.” Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Unquestionably, there are differences in the composition of gut microbiota in breastfed and formula-fed infants. But several questions follow from that fact. When is the baby’s first exposure to the microbiome, and does it matter? How do the bacteria get into the mother’s milk? And, it’s not just about the biome; it’s about the virome. How are oligosaccharides central to the protection offered in the infant’s gut?

Join Marie and her special guest, Dr. Kirsty Le Doare, as they discuss the importance of human milk in passive immunity, and the impact of mothers’ choices and experiences. Most of us know that “breast is best” but Dr. Le Doare gives a compelling story for why immediate and extended breastfeeding is central to lifelong health.

Okay, so you know bariatric surgery is in your future—or maybe it’s already in your past. But you’re not entirely sure how or if your nutritional status pre- or post-surgery can affect your milk composition or volume. You know “breast is best” but maybe you’re worried that your milk won’t be good enough for your baby. No worries, help is here.

Join Marie and her guest, dietitian Allison Childress PhD, RDN, CSSD, LD, who has had extensive experience working with breastfeeding mothers after bariatric surgery. Get a list of questions to ask before and after your procedure, learn research-based answers about what does or doesn’t make a difference to your post-bariatric milk, what you can do to optimize your milk, as well as early warning signs if your milk is nutrient-deficient. Plus, get simple time-saving tips on how get those needed nutrient-dense calories. Take control of your situation to provide the best nutrition to your baby without compromising your own nutritional status.

Sexual abuse affects more women than you may think. Some estimates suggest that it has happened to 20 to 25 percent (or more) of U.S. women. You’ve probably met these women. Survivors of sexual abuse come from all walks of life and all socioeconomic backgrounds, and the effects have a profound and life-long impact. For breastfeeding mothers, their supporters, and their health care providers, this raises a multitude of questions. How can sexual abuse impact breastfeeding? How can family, other mothers, and health care providers help? What can any of us do to be helpful and supportive of mothers who want to breastfeed after such trauma?

Listen as Marie and her guest, Elizabeth Johnson, talk about how to have the conversation, and how to help. If you’ve wondered about “touching”, triggers, flashbacks, and more, this show will help you to develop a clearer perspective.