Sage Moon Doula

Among other benefits, doulas help to decrease maternal and infant mortality rates. Black mothers, therefore, would benefit great from having access to doulas, since they continue to die during pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery, at much higher rates than other women.
                                                                                   Black Mothers Are Dying

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) Has New Recommendations for exercise and improving birth outcomes that may also help mothers and babies.

Maya Rudolph drops some golden nuggets on pregnancy, breastfeeding, and working as a new mom... and sweet sentiments about her own beloved mother. ​

                                                                                         Maya Rudolph

Jack Newman's explanation (and video) of Late Onset Decreased Milk Flow is full of great information for discouraged moms and befuddled lactation consultants.

This has been a tough two weeks in our home. On the very last day of a lazy Spring Break, my daughter ran a high fever, and was subsequently diagnosed with the flu. We had all been languishing around my parents' home for the week, so I didn't realize that she was feeling wimpy. We kept her out of school for the week, but she could not break her fever, or her need to be no more than 8 inches away from me at a time. It was suffocating and I felt powerless. My daughter is not sick often, but whenever she has been, I've known that I could just nurse her to make it all better. We've been fully weaned for 6 weeks, and although we were both (more or less) ready, there have been many moments over these last 2 weeks that I wish we were still going. I can remember telling my La Leche group that I wouldn't know how to parent without breastfeeding. I was half-kidding, but this is definitely one of those times that I feared. We made it through, then I read this, and cried. 1007 Days of Breastmilk

And then this made us smile! Couple Accidentally Texts Strangers About Newborn; Strangers Show Up With Gifts

What are you buzzing about?!

​Have a great week! Be well!

Life is good! There's always so much to celebrate! As Women's History Month continues, we love these stories and images from around the world, about birth traditions, breastfeeding, and baby wearing. Let us know if you love it too!

March is also National Nutrition Month! Check out this important information about how the amazing vitamin D during pregnancy decreases the risk of multiple sclerosis in offspring. It is fascinating how prenatal nutrition affects children later in life. More on that next week! 

Watch First Lady Michelle Obama talk fruits and vegetables with Big Bird! 

I practiced Hypnobirthing (via Hypnobabies) 3 years ago, and I although I had never known a single person (or celebrity) who had the experience, after considering all other childbirth education models, it was definitely the one that resonated with me the most. Enjoy Lottie Daley's experience about this natural childbirth method that is catching on and becoming a thing. 

I was blessed with a great birth experience. Unfortunately, too many Black women in America lack the opportunity to experience a desirable birth. Filmmaker Paolo Patruno, follows the amazing midwife, Jennie Joseph and her clients, as they search for equitable birth options for their families, in Childbirth in the Shadow of the American Dream . Watch it! Share it! I am thrilled to see a growing body of evidence demonstrating how increasing numbers of Black mothers are benefitting access to midwives and doulas during childbirth, in baby steps toward birth equity, access, and justice, in America.​

Actress Hayden Panttiere and Atomic Kitten star, Natasha Hamilton talk postpartum depression, while this mom talks about much support she needed to finally come to terms with hers, and how her husband used a common quiz to help identify her symptoms. Please be sure to check in with new moms- even the ones who have always had it together- after birth, and again after weaning. Postpartum depression is one of the 6 mental health conditions associated with childbirth, including Perinatal depression, Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Psychosis.

Speaking of stress, there's new information that indicates that survivors of abuse are less likely to begin or sustain breastfeeding. As a lactation counselor, I whenever a woman is having a challenge wrapping her mind around thee idea of nursing her own child, thinking of it as disgusting, or relating it to sex or incest, after a bit more physiologically-based education, I fall back, as I begin to sense a history of abuse. The irony is that many survivors of abuse who have persevered through the early demons, have found that breastfeeding actually helped them begin to heal from the abuse as they turned their shame into power. This is why support around breastfeeding is needed in many areas... including for this mother, who happens to be a physician, whose child's pediatrician missed the warning signs of dehydration, while assuring her that should could produce the milk necessary to sustain her child, a task which she was determined to master. Breastfeeding education and support goes well beyond, "you can do it, Mom!" All providers who touch the mother or baby, would do well to increase his or her knowledge of breastfeeding, and have a lactation professional on-site or on call for mothers in need.

​On a lighter note, check out this mom who used a Victoria's Secrets photo to camouflage her feeding her child... as those images were repeatedly reported on Facebook.

Maria Corry
​So since my breastfeeding photo which showed NOTHING got reported more than FIVE times, I'm posting this. I bet this won't be reported, because you can see this picture in every mall you step into, huge and blown up outside the store. This is not frowned upon, or ever reported, as it is seen everywhere. But a women nurturing and feeding their baby is looked down on. That is completely absurd! Moms, post your breast selfies below. Nurse in public. People who think breastfeeding is nasty, or looked at sexually is a pedophile for even thinking of it in that way! Breastfeeding is natural, it's what our breasts were meant for! In other countries breastfeeding is praised, and welcomed everywhere! In America, people have so much negative things to say about it! I'm done with this stupid nonsense. I can't believe how much backlash my photo got, but more importantly I got tons of support and I thank you all. And again, BREAST IS BEST!
**EDIT: When I said pedophile, I was just hurt and angered someone was reporting my picture. I think anyone who sees breastfeeding as a sexual act, does have something wrong in their head though. And yes, "fed is best" but it has been proven breastmilk is best for babies. But yes as long as a baby is fed all is well! Hope that cleared up some commotion going on! Thanks for the support!
**** Feel free to share this! Make mothers feel more welcome to nurse their babies wherever they please.

This just tickled me!

Did we miss any great birth or breastfeeding stories this week?! Share them with us now! Have a great weekend!