World Breastfeeding Week: Family and Social Network, Healthcare Systems, Response to Crisis or Emergency

As the title mentions, I'll be touching on Family and Social Networks, Healthcare Systems, and Response to Crisis or Emergency.  The reason I decided to group these together (apart from running out of time during World Breastfeeding week) is that I feel they are so closely linked together.

When one decides to breastfeed, your family really does make up a huge part of your decision.  You might not think about this, but subconsciously one does wonder about their reaction to breastfeeding, whether or not they are pro-breast milk or pro-formula OR pro-whatever-makes-your-baby-grow!  One also tends to wonder how they will react to you breastfeeding in front of them.  Be it with or without a breastfeeding cover.  From personal experience I can tell you that I am very at ease to feed without my cover, but I always ask whether the person with me is comfortable with it.  That being said, I choose to only feed without a cover in front of other women, girls or my husband.  For the rest I use a breastfeeding cover, simply because I am also private in that way.  BUT I don't exclude myself from conversations, and that's why I am at ease to breastfeed (with a cover) in mixed company.  Breastfeeding is not an illness or disease that has to be isolated.  The sooner we accept this truth, the sooner we'll be more at ease to share this time with others.  I read a very nice article by Nicki Hesken from BellaOnline regarding Family and Criticism while Breastfeeding in which she explains how you can prepare for family gatherings and also basically 'desensitize' family to you breastfeeding in their presence.  A good read, I'd say. 

Furthermore, people's reaction to learning that you're breastfeeding through social media may also either encourage or discourage you.  I have been fortunate enough to be part of an amazing group on Facebook that one of my friends started to encourage support between mothers.  We're a mixed group of new-mothers and mothers who're on their 2nd or 3rd child.  There I found a platform where I could openly ask questions about breastfeeding and get honest answers from women in the know.  My doula and friend, Melissa Jacobs, is also a great advocate for breastfeeding.  I often check out links that she posts on her Facebook profile regarding breastfeeding.  Just another way that Social Networking allows me to stay connected with current trends.  So, in this day and age, where we've got the internet and social media literally at our fingertips, shouldn't this be a place to look for support?  As well as a place to voice concerns and advocate breastfeeding in public?  An article on momzelle.com grabbed my attention, titled "My Favourite Online Breastfeeding Lifelines" - go check it out for some pointers in the right direction.

At times I feel like Healthcare Systems are to blame for poor breastfeeding performance amongst new moms.  I have a friend who is very much pro-breastfeeding and made her husband follow their baby everywhere in the hospital after her birth to make sure she was not fed a single drop of formula.  Yet, she told me that at that very same hospital her baby was born at, she did not really receive support with regards to breastfeeding, latching and all the other intricacies thereof.  I found that so, so sad!  I was very fortunate that at Genesis Clinic the staff are pro-breastfeeding and are more than willing to sit with you and help you until your baby latches well.  I found that so encouraging and motivating, just knowing that I could ask for help and they'd come running.  My husband called one of the midwives at 03h00 AM to help me with breastfeeding.  She sat with us for nearly an hour, if I recall correctly, guiding me and encouraging me, never putting me down or making me feel stupid.  I also know that at the Witbank Hospital (Public Sector), they are adamant in the Neonatal / Paediatric wards that babies that are born prematurely or cannot yet (for whatever reason) breastfeed, be fed ONLY using a cup, NOT bottles.  How wonderful!  Plus, they have a breast milk bank with donated breast milk to provide for their in-hospital babies in need. WOW for the public sector, now when will the private sector catch onto best practice?  I really feel that nursing staff and other health care providers should be careful in what they say, lest they discourage mommies from breastfeeding!  Please, provide a bridge, not a hurdle!  I read about the Cayuga County Women, Infants and Children Program, where they encourage breastfeeding as well as education to mommies-to-be and other healthcare professionals.  THIS is how you get breastfeeding rates up!  With proper support!

Finally, Response to Crisis or Emergency.  It is so important to make sure that there are support structures in place in the case of an emergency.  I remember my sister-in-law telling me about how a whole community of nursing mothers provided breast milk to a new born baby whose mother had died during / after childbirth due to complications.  They did this in an effort to ensure that this baby would get the best advantage in life, even though he no longer had his mother.  This community supported the baby, but also, by proxy, his father, who had to deal with the death of his wife, mother to his 7 children, and having to take her body to Israel for burial.  These women stood by the husband, his other children and his new born baby.  How many communities can tell these stories?  Are we supporting women / families in crisis?  We really have to think about this!  It's not a good time to set protocols in place when emergencies become reality.  We have to be proactive!

I am passionate about breastfeeding, I will always be! I didn't take to it like a duck to water, I had to learn through trial and error, enduring pain for a very long time (or so it felt at the time).  I didn't stop breastfeeding just because Linmari cut her first tooth and bit me (it was inevitable!) or because she started eating solids?  I am in emotional turmoil with regards to when she should be weaned, and as long as I am in this state, I will not stop breastfeeding.  I want to shout it from the rooftops: "Get the necessary support to see you through breastfeeding, pledge that you won't give up before at LEAST six weeks of nursing, be proud of the fact that you are breastfeeding!".  Mommies, and Daddies, it truly is VERY important to continue for as  long as possible!  Daddies, you are there to support the mother of your children in her breastfeeding ventures!  Don't give up, PLEASE!  Go read this post on the 10 things you were never told regarding breastfeeding.

To every single woman out there, breastfeeding or not, NOW is your chance to make your decision that could influence the rest of your life, but also your child's life!  Breastfeeding creates a wonderful bond and is the best source of nutrition for your child!  Believe in your body's ability to provide in your child's nutritional needs.  GOD designed a woman's body to produce this liquid gold.  Now go out and be an advocate for breastfeeding! 

Until we meet again for World Breastfeeding Week 2014!

The First Day of the Rest of My Life!

Good day, all!  What a beautiful morning this has already turned out to be. 

For the first time EVER I could sleep late during a 'normal working day', because I am now a STAY AT HOME MOMMY!!!!  Linmari and I slowly awakened with the day.  We took our time getting up and prepping for our outings (which are now not going to happen as planned).  I had the time to quickly whip together beautiful Banana and Oatmeal cookies, dress my daughter and myself and hang some diapers on the line.

On the Banana and Oatmeal cookie front.  People, this is the BEST cookie EVER to give your child.  No funny additives, no extra sugar, no salt.  Just pure banana and oatmeal goodness! I found the recipe on Facebook / online last week Wednesday.  It leaves plenty of room for playing around and improvising.  But the best thing about it, I don't feel bad giving this cookie to my daughter!  Here's the recipe:

Quick and Easy Banana and Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup of rolled oats (or any oats, I would imagine)

2 ripe and soft bananas

 

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 356 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray an oven baking tray with some Spray-and-Cook.

Cut up and mash the bananas to a pulp.

Add the cup of oats and mix all well together.

Dish out tablespoonful amounts onto the pre-sprayed baking tray.

Pop it into the oven for 15 minutes.

TADA!  Wonderful, tasty and wholesome cookies!

 

Optional:  You can add chopped up nuts, raisins, choc-chips, dried fruit to the mixture.

I really want to try this recipe with some chopped-up dried mango pieces.

You can also add a pinch of salt if this tastes 'weird' to you.  I prefer it without salt, you soon grow used to the taste in anyway!

 

And here is the link to the photographed version of this amazing cookie! 

 

Okay, so Linmari just woke up from her midmorning nap and I better get going to my husband.  What a treat!!!  Oh, and then it's off to the ENT for Linmari's post-op check-up.  At least I'll be able to brag about the fact that she can now WALK!  (As if I had anything to do with it  ;-P ) Whoohoo!!!  A good day to you all!



World Breastfeeding Week: Workplace and Employment

Breastfeeding / Expressing at work can be rather cumbersome and not very well supported.  The Circles of Support for Mothers and Children shows that 'Workplace and Employment' makes up one of the circles.  It is with good reason, since this could be one of the areas which could almost 'force Mom's hand' to supplement-feed or stop breastfeeding altogether.

I was VERY fortunate when I returned to work to be able to express when necessary.  Plus, because I work at a school, I was able to use the lunch breaks on top of the given time to express.  Furthermore, we have a fridge in our department that I could use the freezer compartment to store my expressed milk.  I could not ask for greater support. 

When wanting to express at work it is very important to consider the following:

1. Double electric breastpumps makes the expressing process faster with greater amounts of milk.
1. Important to note: Is your electric breastpump solely dependent on being plugged in or can it be battery operated in the case of a power failure?  Secondly, do you have batteries with you in the case of a power failure? (Yes, this IS necessary to ask!)
2. Having a safe place (cooler box / fridge / freezer) to store your expressed milk.
3. Having an ample supply of containers for expressed milk.
4. Having a steam sterilizer at work to sterilize your breastpump accessories in.
5. Where will you express?  Is it clean, private and (yes, this is important) somewhat isolated on an auditory level?  My breastpump's motor was not all that silent, so if you walked past my closed office, you could hear it!
6. Do you have enough time everyday to express?  Remember, it's important to express to keep your milk supply up, not only to have milk for your baby for tomorrow.
7. Consider getting a manual pump for travelling purposes - this has been a saving grace for me during sport-events that I had to attend as an official for our school.  I would then express in the back of my car (there are shade socks over both back windows) with my breastfeeding cover intact.  No one even knew and if they did, they never said so.

I read an interesting article today on legislation regarding breastfeeding and expressing at work in South Africa.  Do yourself a favour and go and read it!  It made me realise just HOW fortunate I was.  I turns out that according to our law, my employer only has to give me expressing breaks (2 breaks of 30 minutes each) for the first 6 months of my child's life.

I went back to work when Linmari was 5 months old and I officially stopped working yesterday, Linmari being 11 months and 22 days old.  I was still expressing nearly everyday at work.  WOW, how grateful I am for my work setup which allowed me to continue expressing.  (I plan to breastfeed until Linmari can go over to cow or goat milk, and then still continue with nap-time and dinner-feeds.)

Don't let your workplace be the reason for NOT breastfeeding!  You have rights in South Africa, KNOW them, make sure your employer adheres to legislation.  Remember, they have to reasonably accommodate you.  And you can be creative about expressing!  I remember reading how Ashley from www.ourlittleapartment.com used to express in her car when she was a Barista at Starbucks.

Happy breastfeeding and expressing, Mommies!

World Breastfeeding Week 2013 (1-7 August)

This year's theme for World Breastfeeding Week is BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT: CLOSE TO MOTHERS.  You can go read more on the mission statement at this link.  

I thought I'd like to share a bit of information everyday for the duration of this World Breastfeeding Week.  I am very grateful for the GREAT theme that they chose!  I have seen first-hand what a difference it can make to have a good support-structure in place, to help you and guide you when you don't know what else to do.

NOTHING could prepare me for breastfeeding!  All I remember was making my husband promise me that he'll not allow me to stop breastfeeding before Linmari is 6 weeks old.  The reason?  Sometime, somewhere I read that it can take up to 6 weeks to establish a good breastfeeding routine.  Thinus very nearly gave up on that promise when he realised just HOW painful breastfeeding was for me...at first.  But I reminded him of his promise and he had renewed vigour to MAKE it work!  I wanted what was best for my daugther and I knew I could give it to her.  

Here are a few things that helped me to stick to my decision:

1. My midwife (Karen van der Merwe) was a staunch advocate of breastfeeding, talking over possible reasons why I was experiencing such pain when Linmari was feeding and ways to overcome the pain / treat the pain.  She also helped a lot with regards to possible positions to prevent Linmari from suffering too much at my hectically fast let-down.
2. My doula (Melissa Jacobs) told me within the first few hours "NEVER accept a bad latch, Ronél.  NEVER!"  Very wise words from a very wise woman and Mama!  Plus she followed-up on my breastfeeding 'career' to make sure I understood all the ins and outs of this game, understanding my struggles and encouraging me all the way.
3. My mother (Petra Kahl), also a midwife, helped me with latching and possible positions.  She's still such an amazing help and reminds me how wonderful it is that I could make it past six months and still breastfeed.
4. My husband.  Yes, he realised that even though this was painful, initially, and did not come so 'naturally' to me, it was what I wanted, what Linmari wanted, and what both of us needed.  He supported me wholeheartedly in this decision and for THAT I cannot thank him enough!
5. Knowing that financially it just made more sense to breastfeed - come ON!  The stuff is FREE and for the taking.  Who WOULDN'T want to take advantage of that situation?
6. Amazing websites that taught me a lot that I had to know about things like expressing at work and exactly how to make expressing work for you - www.kellymom.com - Peeps, this is an AWESOME website!  Go check it out!
7. Inner motivation to wanting to offer my child the best that I had.  Linmari did not cope well with solid food at 4 months (the new age at which solids are supposed to be introduced) and I realised it's FINE to exclusively breastfeed until 6 months.  My child's body could handle other food so much better at 6 months!
8. Friends at work!!!  I have several friends at work who are also all about breastfeeding your child and expressing milk to ensure that baby gets the best.  They really helped with the logistics of how you express at work, when you find the time and what you store the milk in.  AWESOME peeps!

I suppose what I wanted to explain to you here is that it really is important to have good support from all those around you.  And if you don't find support in your immediate surroundings, go LOOK for it on the internet.  Seek it out at your local baby wellness clinic.  Find yourself a lactation consultant!  But good breastfeeding habits start with a good support system!

Happy breastfeeding, Mommies!

11 month old kids are SO.DARN.CUTE!

So  I've been at home...recovering from chickenpox.  But during that time I've also been able to spend some precious time with Linmari.  Okay, so itching like crazy and running after your little one can be rather challenging, but that's fine by me.  At least she was a welcome distraction!  Keeping a steady level of Panado in my bloodstream and Calamine lotion on my body has certainly also been of great help!

Linmari are doing such cute things, SERIOUSLY!  Yesterday she started playing 'hide-and-seek' with me, just around our bed.  She would walk around the bed to her dad's side of the bed (our bed is very high, with a big mattress) and suddenly pop out to reveal herself.  And then she would be reduced to a puddle of giggles when I said "BOO!".  Quickly up and walking around the edge of the bed to the other side (my side) and pop out with me saying "BOO!" again.  GIGGLES, then LAUGHTER, like the kind of laughter that starts in your belly and erupts from your mouth! 

We also played with just plain old cake flour.  I put some on a tray, took it outside, and she entertained herself for nearly half an hour, just smearing her hands, then her face and finally her WHOLE BODY with the flour!  I also gave her some cookie cutters to play with, which she tried to "fill", but alas, it didn't work ;-)  She's too cute!

And THEN my dearest daughter discovered that the hedge between us and the neighbours' gardens could be traversed (with lots of effort and serious dirt-effect).  That kept her busy for another half an hour or so.  The garden was next, finding all kinds of interesting leaves (dead and alive) in the garden, playing with the ground/dirt, looking at birds in our other neighbours' garden and discovering red flowers (oh, the delight!) in our own.  As if that wasn't enough, she then fetched her ball so that we could play with that, after which she decided that the lounge chair on our stoep/porch makes for a lovely jungle gym.

I love the energy this kid has (and sometimes I loathe it, let's be honest) and how she wants to explore and experience every bit of her environment.  Yes, everything goes to the mouth...which is rather disgusting sometimes.  But I'm SO grateful to have a child who is able to move around in her environment.  Who can climb in and on and through things.  Who can go and fetch her ball and WALK to me so that we can play with it!  What a wonderful privilege it is to share in her development, to be present and able to see it all happening!  I am in awe of my child, but mostly I am in awe of GOD, for HE created this beautiful being. 

Yesterday, my devotional piece was on Psalm 139, by far one of my favourite chapters in the Bible.  GOD knit us together in our mothers' wombs.  HE knew all the days destined for us before they came to be.  HE knew that Linmari would start walking on Tuesday, 23 July 2013, before she was even born!  What an amazing blessing to know GOD and to see how HE designed creation.

I just wanted to share these beautiful experiences with the world.  I love my girl and am forever grateful that I can be part of her world!  Praise be to GOD for providing to enable me to follow my heart's desires!