Foto Friday

I'm starting a regular series called Foto Friday where weekly I will share images capturing pregnancy, birth and babies. It is with great pleasure that I start my series by sharing a photograph taken by my friend Amy Goalen and displayed on the cover of her new book Mother's Milk. Amy's photographs are truly special capturing the intimacy and quiet moments between mothers and their babies in a snapshot of their breastfeeding journey. The photographs are stunning and are accompanied by words from the mothers themselves detailing their breastfeeding relationship. Mother's Milk can be purchased through Blurb.com.

The Realities of Working and Breastfeeding

"When providing breastfeeding support we must listen to the mother and meet her where she is."

Last month I attended the Breastfeeding and Feminism 2010 Symposium: Informing Public Health Approaches. It was an inspiring and educational conference. This is the quote that came from my workgroup at the conference that really spoke to me. It is where I believe all individuals need to come from when working with a breastfeeding mother.

As I look at breastfeeding and work there are certain realities that we cannot escape. One of the most recent breastfeeding accomplishments in public health was the health care reform law that allows women employed in businesses with over 50 employees to be permitted to pump and have a place to do so. This is an amazing accomplishment that we need to applaud, but at the same time we must also recognize the limitations of this legislation and work with breastfeeding mothers to help them overcome whatever obstacles prevent them from continuing a breastfeeding relationship.

I returned to work when my oldest son was 3 months. I had an office job that allowed me the flexibility to pump when I needed. Even when I was on the traveling, I built in time to pump. I also worked from home a few days a week, so I had the added benefit of being able to breastfeed my son and not pump at least one day a week. Like many, I struggled with supply issues here and there, but I was able to recover and continued pumping until he turned 1. Our breastfeeding relationship continued until he was 22 months. I was lucky. I had an ideal pumping and breastfeeding scenario. Sure I pumped in the car before a meeting, while typing an email to a coworker and while on a conference call (muted of course-have you heard how loud the pumps can be?). However, I fully recognize how lucky I was.

If my scenario was perfect, what happens in real life? What happens if the breastfeeding mother is:

• The teacher who needs to be in her classroom for the majority of the day?
• The doctor or nurse who works a 12 hour shift?
• A waitress who has customers to attend to during her entire shift?
• A woman who works in the chicken processing plant who never freely walks off the production line?

These scenarios assume that mother is fully able to breastfeed? What happens if:

• Baby never learned to latch so mom needs to exclusively pump?
• Mom's supply starts to wain?
• Mom wants support in combining breastfeeding and formula?

How can we help these women? This goes back to my initial quote. We must listen to the mother. What does she need? As a doula I know the logistics. I know the positions. I know the how and why of breastfeeding, but I don't have all the answers. I know we must listen to her and help support her whatever she needs.

I do know that there are somethings we can do in our day to day lives to help. We can help normalize nursing and continue to make it easier for mothers who want to continue to support policies that encourage breastfeeding when mom returns to work.

Breastfeeding Mothers WIN in Health Care Reform!

Returning to work and continuing to breastfeeding just got easier! No matter what side of the political fence you are on, it is clear that the recently passed health care legislation is a HUGE win for breastfeeding mothers and their babies!!!

Section 4207, entitled Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers, allows a breastfeeding mother to take a break to pump. It requires business with more than 50 employees to provide a private space to pump, that is not a bathroom.

Previously, while 44 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, protect women's rights to breastfeed in public, less than half of the states have laws on the books relating to breastfeeding in the workplace.

The health care reform legislation has changed that! Text from the legislation is as follows:

SEC. 4207. REASONABLE BREAK TIME FOR NURSING MOTHERS.

Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(r)(1) An employer shall provide—

(A) a reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and

(B) a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.

(2) An employer shall not be required to compensate

an employee receiving reasonable break time under paragraph (1) for any work time spent for such purpose.

(3) An employer that employs less than 50 employees

shall not be subject to the requirements of this subsection,

if such requirements would impose an undue hardship by

causing the employer significant difficulty or expense when

considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the employer’s business.

(4) Nothing in this subsection shall preempt a State

law that provides greater protections to employees than the

protections provided for under this subsection.’’

This is a giant leap forward for mother's who want to continue to breastfeed their babies once they return to work. If you are mom preparing to return to work and are looking for additional resources on pumping check out La Leche League, Kellymom.com and Ameda.

Breastfeeding in Public - What's the big deal?

I am saddend every time I hear another story of a mother who is shunned and unable to breastfeed her child in public. Can someone please explain to me what is the big deal? Here's the story of a woman, in my home state of North Carolina, who is trying to look for job at the Employment Security Commssion. She is asked to nurse her child elsewhere for the comfort of the men in the office. What?!?!

When are we as a society going to accept that a mother giving her child nourishment, comforting her baby, using her breasts as nature intended is normal and should be encouraged and not shunned?

I applaud and celebrate all the mothers I know who are able and desire to breastfeed their babies in public. For those who struggle with whether to breastfeed in public or for those who just don't understand, please check out this video designed by the Nursing is Normal (NIN) project. It's inspirational, it's beautiful, it's normal!

Breastfeeding Gets the Colbert Bump (Again)

Is Stephen Colbert a closet breastfeeding advocate? Maybe not so closet. In an interview with Michael Pollan, natural food advocate and author of "In Defense of Food," Colbert questions Pollan about whether he was breastfeed. During his Better Know a District series, he is concerned about Representative Carolyn Maloney's proposal to prevent discrimination against using breast pumps at work. Most recently, Colbert apologized for not breastfeeding his one day old Grammy.

As a member of the Colbert Nation, I think it's time Stephen come out of the closest and proudly proclaim his support for breastfeeding moms!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Stephen Apologizes for Feeding His Grammy Baby Food
www.colbertnation.com
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