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Health Care

Putting Together the Pieces of the Puzzle: The Landscape of Breastfeeding Support

August 3, 2011
World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is here and there is much to report from the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), your breastfeeding advocacy headquarters! This year’s theme, “Talk to Me! Breastfeeding – a 3D Experience,” reminds us that communication is critical to breastfeeding success...

The Good, the Bad and the Hope for Breastfeeding Rights

August 3, 2011
Roughly four million women give birth in the United States every year – and most choose to breastfeed (74 percent). After all, the nutritional value of breast milk is well documented. Numerous studies show that breastfeeding protects mothers and children from a range of acute and chronic health...

Breastfeeding: An Effective Tool for Preventing Obesity

August 3, 2011
Childhood obesity is a dangerous epidemic, as more than one-third of American children are now overweight or obese. Many of these kids will develop life-threatening conditions such as type-2 diabetes because of their unhealthy weight — some even before they graduate high school. Everyone from First...
Elizabeth Brotherton's picture

Serving Up Some Shut Up Juice

August 3, 2011
When my son turned a year old in February, I started to hear one question quite frequently: "You're STILL nursing him?!" Why, yes. Yes I am. When will I stop? No idea. I weaned my daughter at 14 months, and I was working full time. Now I am home, so maybe I'll nurse my son a little longer, and...

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week! A MomsRising blog-a-thon

August 3, 2011
Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world. But that doesn't always mean that it's easy or that there's no learning curve. Many mothers need a lot of support from friends, family and employers to start and continue breastfeeding exclusively for at least 6 months as recommended by the...
Ashley Boyd's picture

The Real Trouble With Breast Milk Baby

August 3, 2011
The controversy brewing over a new breastfeeding doll soon to be sold in the United States reminds me of the bru-ha-ha about Teletubbies when Jerry Falwell accused Tinky Winky of being gay. People rightfully upset about homophobia came to the support of the show, misguidedly defending the goodness...
Susan Linn's picture

Coming soon, let’s hope: Breastfeeding support anyone can afford

August 3, 2011
On August 1, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would adopt the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations to close critical gaps in women’s preventative health care. Just last week, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) gave recommendations to close critical gaps in women’s...
Melissa Bartick's picture

What does support look like? What to do and not do to support a breastfeeding mother

August 3, 2011
Breastfeeding is the best thing for baby and mom. Everybody knows it. So why are so many people, from health professionals, to friends, to mothers-in-law, to husbands, intent on making the mother feel inadequate and getting her to quit breastfeeding? I have to think that many of them are not doing...

Breastfeeding – It Takes a Village!

August 3, 2011
California WIC – the nation’s largest WIC program -- is making huge strides towards our goal of making breastfeeding the norm in communities where we serve over 50% of all infants born. Thanks to a “harmonic convergence” of progressive WIC policy and environmental changes , our exclusive...

Breastfeeding – Making It Work

August 3, 2011
My son was born last year. Luckily, we had no trouble with the big latch on. I savored every moment of bonding with him as he nursed. Three months after his birth, I returned to work. And then the trouble began. I grudgingly adopted my Medela Pump in Style. But the little one didn’t want anything...
Vibhuti Mehra's picture

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