Mom’s in the workforse are growing

I was shocked to find out that Women now comprise half the U.S. workforce, and are the primary breadwinner in nearly 4 out of 10 American families. The fastest growing segment of the workforce is women with children under age three! Hmm, that might contribute to our 20% drop in infants who were exclusively breastfed through 3 months of age (33.1% ) to 13.6% of infants who were exclusively breastfed through 6 months of age?
Interesting...
Have a great Holiday weekend everybody!!

That you CDC and wikipedia for enlightening us!
http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/

Maternity leave: How does the United Sates Compare?

So were you wondering why Sweden and Norway held the top two spots for breastfeeding longevity? Well, it could be because of their amazing maternity/paternity leave. Norway offers 56 weeks (13 months) at 80% pay or 46 weeks (10.5 months) at 100% pay - mother must take at least 3 weeks immediately before birth and 6 weeks immediately after birth, father must take at least 10 weeks - the rest can be shared between mother and father. Amazing right??

What, you ask, does the United States offer? 0 weeks paid. Yes, you read that right, ZERO weeks paid. Of course in the 90's the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) was created, which mandates 12 weeks of UNPAID leave, but that is only if the requesting employee works for a covered employer (all public agencies; private companies with 50 or more employees within 75 miles.) In addition, the employee must have worked for covered employer for at least 12 months prior, and at least 1250 hours in previous 12 months. Other restrictions apply.

For comparison Canada offers 55% up to $447/week for 50 weeks (15 weeks maternity + 35 weeks parental leave that can be shared with the father)

If you are interested in reading more about this check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parental_leave which is where we found this shocking information.

Breastfeeding Rates Around the World

The World Health Organization and UNICEF have recommended for a decade that mothers breastfeed for at least two years. But most US women who nurse stop before their baby is six months old - and many never start at all. How do other countries stack up? What is the reason? Is it that more US woman head back to work?? Will President Obama's Health Care Reform requirements for employers to allow "reasonable time" for employees to pump help?? Stay tuned and we will look at some of these topics this week!

Breastfeeding Rates Around the World
Country % of mothers who start % who continue 6 months or longer
Sweden 98 53
Norway 98 50
Poland 93 10
Canada 80 24
Netherlands 68 25
Britain 63 21
United States 75 20


Sources: Baby Milk Action, Cambridge, England; Center for Breastfeeding Information, Schaumburg, IL
Parenting magazine had some information on breastfeeding rates around the world in their April 1997 issue. Their article (p. 34) was entitled "Breastfeeding by the Numbers." The information above is from this article.

Page last modified: 05/19/2007 Written: 04/29/1998 taken from Kellymom.com

Must haves for moms who plan to breastfeed

Nursing Mothers-What You Need:
As an expectant mom, there are a number of things you should consider gathering prior to babies arrival. The list below is specific for baby and breastfeeding. There are a number of items you should consider to prepare properly for the arrival of baby. Speak with your Child Birth Educator for a complete list of items.

At Home - for breastfeeding
-Breastfeeding books and videos - a number of good quality books and videos are available to answer many of your questions right away.
-The contact number of a Lactation consultant or La Leche League Leader who can help during really difficult times. Look for a La Leche League support meeting near you from this link. Support is imperative for many new breastfeeding moms. http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html
-At least three nursing bras (one to wear, one in the wash, one in your drawer) You may need more if you are anything like me and don't like to do laundry every day!
-A pillow to support baby while breastfeeding. There are companies who make specific nursing pillows, which many moms like.
-A rocking chair or glider to make late nights a little easier
-A nursing foot stool
-burping cloths - these come in handy for many cleanups. This helps prevent you from changing 5 times a day or from simply having spit up become a fixture to your wardrobe!
-Lanolin cream for ongoing nipple therapy. If your nipples become cracked seek medical advise about Lanolin cream as this could cause a reaction in some woman and prevent continued nursing.
-At least four sets of washable bra pads, or disposable pads to keep lactating breasts dry to prevent thrush or infections
-You might want to consider a breast shell for flat or inverted nipples. This may also be helpful if your nipples crack to speed the healing process. Medela is one company who sells breast shells.

At Home or work- for breastpumping
-A quality breast pump
-Breastmilk collection and storage bags or containers. This is a must have for moms who plan to go back to work or who plan to escape for a night away at some point.
-A portable cooler carrier for transporting your breastmilk. This is included with some pumps
-Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags and Wipes, which come in handy when you don't have time or discretion to wash between uses. This was an inexpensive lifesaver for me when I went back to work or was to gosh darn tired to wash the tiny pieces of my pump between uses.

Thank you Medela for these great ideas!

Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby

I just read this eye opening article about the ability for a woman to start lactating even if she has not just recently given birth. I had never heard of this before! Check it out...

Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby

Yes, it’s true. Adopting mothers can breastfeed. Down through history, a traditional way of nurturing and nourishing orphans has been for another woman, often a relative, to put the baby to breast. Sometimes the adoptive mother already was lactating, but if not, the infant’s sucking would bring in a milk supply. The process of breastfeeding an adopted baby is called induced lactation.

By Barbara Wilson-Clay, BS, IBCLC

To read the full article click here: http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/tips-and-solutions/30/breastfeeding-an-adopted-baby

Back to work while breastfeeding

I just watched a really great, short video from ABC News on what every breastfeeding mom should know about going back to work.

The video is an interview with a pediatric doctor and mom who talks about;
-products moms who breastfeed need when going back to work
-benefits of breastfeeding for baby
-benefits of breastfeeding for mom

put this link into your web-browser: abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7499500

Women who breastfeed for a year or more are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

Most of us know that breast-feeding can be good for a baby, but research now shows that it can be good for moms as well! Breast-feeding may affect the immune system in a way that protects against diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
(Dean Health publication Notables fall 2009)

Breastfeeding saves lives...

A recent article reports that researchers say the lives of nearly 900 babies could be saved every year if more women breast-fed. The journal Pediatrics, says if 90 percent of new moms breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, infant deaths would decrease and $13 billion in medical costs could be saved annually. Breast-feeding may help prevent many costly and sometimes deadly illnesses, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia. It's also been shown to combat ear infections, diabetes and asthma.

Check out the full article here: http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12256521