News Archives

Breastfeeding Mom in Maryland Could Face Jail Time for Postponing Jury Duty

March 25, 2008

When I was about 36 weeks pregnant with our first baby, I had to go to court for jury duty. I waddled my way into the courthouse and settled uneasily into the wooden bench. Fortunately, the lawyers took one look at me and let me go. Wise decision, I believe. Had they picked me, I would have had to raise my hand every hour to go to the bathroom.

Before that day, I had considered postponing my jury duty until after the baby was born. But I soon realized that didn't make sense since I was planning to work from home and breastfeed. Without a full-time sitter, jury duty would have been near impossible. I had served on a week-long trial once before, so I knew what I was in for.

Given the challenges of breastfeeding and serving jury duty, there are twelve states that actually exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty (California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon and Virginia). Click here to learn about the laws in your state.

So it's a bit of a surprise to see what's happened to a Maryland mom. A judge sentenced her to a night in jail or a $150 fine, after she asked to postpone her jury duty. Here's the story from one of the local TV stations:

Elizabeth Jett's baby boy Henry was less than 12 weeks old when she was called for jury duty. "I think it’s a case of priorities. Taking care of your children should be your first priority. Jury duty can always come later," Jett said.

Jett asked to postpone and serve during the Summer, when Henry would be older and her mother, a full-time teacher, could take care of him and his five-year-old brother.

The Carroll County judge said Jett was in contempt of court, which Jett thought was unbelievable. "I was just shocked. I couldn’t even put it into words," she said.

Legislation that would allow nursing mothers with children under the age of two to be excused from jury duty was introduced for the second time. When the plan was proposed in 2004, many lawmakers shot it down.

Brian Frosh, Chair for the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, said the law would cause more people to try to postpone their duties, "If you start saying, we’re gonna excuse people for breastfeeding, you’ve gotta say ok to kidney dialysis, chemotherapy and all the other maladies that afflict the human condition."

Frosh said the law already gives judges broad discretion to excuse residents from jury duty, "So what we want is for judges to use their discretion liberally."

As for Elizabeth Jett, she has since asked for a waiver, because she can't afford the fine. The judge in the case, Barry Hughes, did not want to comment. The jury commissioner hung up on Andrea McCarren, as soon as she identified herself as a reporter.

Click on this link to watch the video from the TV station. You can read more about this story from the Baltimore Examiner.

Sometimes I Have Momnesia

March 06, 2008

I woke up at 5:30 this morning with a flash of insight. I finally remembered where my cell phone was. It had been missing since 3 pm on Wednesday when I put it in a safe spot-- a dining room chair-- while I was straightening up. Of course it was such a "safe" spot, that I couldn't find it. And not only that, I had silenced the ringer because of nap time, so calling myself was useless.

Does this ever happen to you? Do you find yourself forgetting things because you are so preoccupied with work and kids and stuff? The Today Show and USA Today say it happens to a lot of moms and they're calling it "momnesia." Today did a whole piece this morning on momnesia and the kids and I were included in the video. Click here if you want to check it out. The story ran again, in a slightly different version, on NBC Nightly News.

If you watch the piece, you'll learn about some of my other momnesia highlights...like the time I bought groceries at the supermarket, and then drove away, leaving the bags behind. I didn't realize my blunder until I got home. But hey, at least it wasn't the kids who were left behind. Small victories.

New Policy for Separating Illegal Immigrants From Their Breastfed Babies During Detentions

November 17, 2007

For once, here's some breastfeeding news that makes sense. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) has issued new guidelines on the detention of nursing mothers who are in this country illegally. The New York Times is reporting today that they can now be released unless they pose a national security risk. ICE's new written guidelines also establish how agents should handle the arrests of single parents, pregnant women, and other immigrants with special child or family care responsibilities.

This follows a sad case last month. Here's part of the NYT article:

Federal immigration agents were searching a house in Ohio last month when they found a young Honduran woman nursing her baby. The woman, Saída Umanzor, is an illegal immigrant and was taken to jail to await deportation. Her 9-month-old daughter, Brittney Bejarano, who was born in the United States and is a citizen, was put in the care of social workers....

Ms. Umanzor, 26, was arrested in her home on Maple Street in Conneaut, Ohio, on Oct. 26 and was released 11 days later on orders of Julie L. Myers, the head of the immigration agency. While in detention, Ms. Umanzor did not see her daughter Brittney, who had been fed only breast milk before her mother’s arrest. Ms. Umanzor remains under house arrest with Brittney and her two other children in Conneaut, 70 miles east of Cleveland, under an order for deportation. Her lawyer, David W. Leopold, has asked that her deportation be delayed on humanitarian grounds.

Ms. Umanzor had been at home with two of her three children, both American citizens, when the immigration agents arrived, along with a county police officer carrying a criminal warrant for a brother-in-law of Ms. Umanzor who also lived in the house.

As the agents searched, Ms. Umanzor breast-fed her jittery baby, she recalled in an interview after her release.

The baby was born in January in Oregon, where Ms. Umanzor’s husband, also Honduran and an illegal immigrant, was working in a saw mill.

Through a quick records check during the raid, the immigration agents discovered a July 2006 order of deportation for Ms. Umanzor, who had failed to appear for a court date after she was caught crossing a Texas border river illegally.

The agents detained her as a fugitive. She was forced to leave both Brittney and the other American daughter, Alexandra, who is 3, since the agents could not detain them.

“Just thinking that I was going to leave my little girl, I began to feel sick,” Ms. Umanzor said of the baby. “I had a pain in my heart.”

Ms. Umanzor turned over her daughters to social workers from the Ashtabula County Children Services Board, who had been summoned by the immigration authorities. In all, the social workers took in six children who lived in the Maple Street house, including Ms. Umanzor’s oldest child, a son born in Honduras. They also included three children of Ms. Umanzor’s sister, an illegal immigrant who was at work that day. Four of the children were born in the United States.

In jail and with her nursing abruptly halted, Ms. Umanzor’s breasts become painfully engorged. With the help of Veronica Dahlberg, director of a Hispanic women’s group in Ashtabula County, a breast pump was delivered on her third day in jail. Brittney, meanwhile, did not eat for three days, refusing to take formula from a bottle, Ms. Dahlberg said.

After four days, the county released all six children to Ms. Umanzor’s sister, who managed to wean Brittney to a bottle.

On Nov. 7, after two dozen women’s health advocates and researchers sent a letter protesting Ms. Umanzor’s detention, Ms. Myers issued a memorandum instructing field officers “to exercise discretion” during arrests by releasing nursing mothers from detention unless they presented a national security or public safety risk.

In cases where the breast-feeding children were United States citizens and entitled to public services, Ms. Myers urged the officers to seek assistance from social agencies to “maintain the unity of the mother and child.”

Sophie Currier Wins Her Appeal-- She'll Get Extra Time To Pump While Taking Her Medical Licensing Exam

September 26, 2007

The Harvard medical student who was suing the National Board of Medical Examiners to get extra time to pump breast milk during an exam, has won her appeal. Here's a quick summary from The A.P. on Yahoo news:

A Harvard student must be allowed extra break time during her nine-hour medical licensing exam so she can pump breast milk to feed her 4-month-old daughter, a Massachusetts appeals court judge ruled Wednesday.

Sophie Currier, 33, sued after the National Board of Medical Examiners turned down her request to take more than the standard 45 minutes in breaks during the exam.

Currier said she risks medical complications if she does not nurse her daughter, Lea, or pump breast milk every two to three hours.

A Superior Court judge last week rejected Currier's request to order the board to give her an additional 60 minutes of break time. Appeals Court Judge Gary Katzmann overturned that ruling, finding that Currier needs the extra break time to put her on "equal footing" with the men and non-lactating women who take the exam.

Here's a piece from The Boston Globe. And to read what I've written before, go here. Here's Sophie's blog. I'll write more later, but right now I have an 18 month old trying to rip the power cord out of my computer. It's nearly time for the early bird dinner special.

Breastfeeding in the News

September 14, 2007

Here are some stories you might want to follow...they've all been brewing for a while so I'll summarize them.

Dr. Sophie Currier is suing the National Board of Medical Examiners to get extra break time in order to pump breast milk while she's taking a 9 hour licensing exam. The Board has denied her earlier requests. Sophie has set up her own blog, Support Nursing Moms. The case is going to federal cout.

For summaries of the Applebee nurse-ins this past weekend, check out my pals over at Breastfeeding123, Motherwear, and The Lactivist. There were reportedly close to 2,000 people at 100 restaurants in 44 states. There's a lot to watch on YouTube.

And finally...good old Facebook, the social networking site, has been giving moms who post breastfeeding pictures a hard time. Facebook has removed some pictures and even revoked one mom's priveleges to use the site. According to USA Today...

USA TODAY heard back from Facebook's P.R. department.

"Facebook does allow mothers to upload and share photos of themselves breastfeeding their babies, and those photos remain available on Facebook as long as they follow the site's Terms of Use. Photos containing a fully exposed breast do violate those Terms and could be removed," spokeswoman Brandee Barker says in a statement that was sent to On Deadline.

The company says "an investigations team" within the customer service department decides whether a particular image qualifies as "offensive content."

I joined Facebook recently, and I have to say while I was originally a skeptic, I love it. It's enabled me to find friends I haven't been in touch with for a while. But come on Facebook, what's the big deal? I joined this group on Facebook, "Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding is Not Obscene."

Formula Industry Lobbied To Tone Down Government Breastfeeding Ads

September 01, 2007

This is a story about big companies and their Washington lobbyists. It could be a story about getting a tunnel built, regulating gas mileage or even securing a military contract. But in this case, it's about infant formula companies influencing an ad campaign aimed at promoting breastfeeding.

The The Washington Post reported the story yesterday. Here's a quick summary:

1. The Department of Health and Human Services ran a public health campaign a few years ago to promote breastfeeding. The ads aimed to convince mothers that their infants faced health risks if they did not breastfeed.

2. Some of the original ads showed baby bottle nipples on top of asthma inhalers or insulin dispensers for diabetes. The point of the ads, which included statistics, was that breastfeeding reduces the risk of these diseases.

3. Formula makers lobbied to get the ads changed and they succeeded. The ads were never seen by the public. Instead, they were replaced by pairs of dandelions (ie. breastfeeding reduces asthama), or two scoops of ice cream (breastfeeding reduces obesity), that evoked breasts.

4. Furthermore, HHS did not promote a study by its own Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of multiple studies on breast-feeding, which generally found breastfeeding was associated with fewer ear and gastrointestinal infections, and lower rates of diabetes, leukemia, obesity, asthma and sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. (To read the report, look in the right hand column of the Post story, in the box that says On The Web, and read "Breastfeeding and Maternal Infant Health.")

Now here are some paragraphs from The Washington Post story:

The formula industry's intervention -- which did not block the ads but helped change their content -- is being scrutinized by Congress in the wake of last month's testimony by former surgeon general Richard H. Carmona that the Bush administration repeatedly allowed political considerations to interfere with his efforts to promote public health.

Rep. Henry A. Waxman's Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating allegations from former officials that Carmona was blocked from participating in the breast-feeding advocacy effort and that those designing the ad campaign were overruled by superiors at the formula industry's insistence.

"This is a credible allegation of political interference that might have had serious public health consequences," said Waxman, a California Democrat...

Gina Ciagne, the office's public affairs specialist for the campaign, said, "We were ready to go with our risk-based campaign -- making breast-feeding a real public health issue -- when the formula companies learned about it and came in to complain. Before long, we were told we had to water things down, get rid of the hard-hitting ads and generally make sure we didn't somehow offend."

Ciagne and others involved in the campaign said the pushback coincided with a high-level lobbying campaign by formula makers, which are mostly divisions of large pharmaceutical companies that are among the most generous campaign donors in the nation.

The campaign the industry mounted was a Washington classic -- a full-court press to reach top political appointees at HHS, using influential former government officials, now working for the industry, to act as go-betweens

Two of the those involved were Clayton Yeutter, an agriculture secretary under President George H.W. Bush and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Joseph A. Levitt, who four months earlier directed the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition food safety center, which regulates infant formula. A spokesman for the International Formula Council said both were paid by a formula manufacturer to arrange meetings at HHS....

The industry substantially increased its own advertising as soon as the HHS campaign was launched. According to a 2006 report by the Government Accountability Office, formula companies spent about $30 million in 2000 to advertise their products. In 2003 and 2004, when the campaign was underway, infant formula advertising increased to nearly $50 million.

So there you have it. Washington D.C. at its finest. For me, while I think breastfeeding is best, I still it as a matter of personal choice. A mom has to decide what will work best for her and her baby. Even so, it is sickening to see the inner workings of the formula industry. Of course we're talking about businesses here. And businesses is designed to maximize profits. It's just a shame that for some companies, doing so can have serious health consequences for our children.

Pennsylvania Nurse In Saturday February 24th

February 22, 2007

A mom and her hungry baby are behind a nurse planned for Saturday in Pennsylvania. Leigh Bellini says she was at a shopping mall, trying to feed her son, when she had a little run in with mall security. She says they told her to cover her baby with a blanket, feed him in the bathroom or sit in her car outside.

PA moms, take note--
Pennsylvania doesn't have a law protecting a woman's right to nurse in public or private. But Philadelphia does have a city ordinance allowing women to breastfeed in public places. A State Representative, however, is pushing two pieces of legislation that could help breastfeeding moms. (via Breastfeeding123)

If you want to go to the nurse in, here are the details:
Center Court at the Berkshire Mall in
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.
Saturday, February 24th at 1:00p.m.
The nurse in is being sponsored by Mothering And More and Birth Without Boundaries.
Check both of these sites for details about the event.
As for Leigh's story, you can read the whole thing here. In part, she writes:

My husband and I took our 2-year-old daughter and 6 month-old son out for a day of shopping and errands. While at the mall, my son became hungry. I found a bench near an indoor tree and parked my stroller directly in front of me. As discretely as possible I began nursing my son. After about 10 minutes or so I was interrupted by a security guard, who asked me if I could put a blanket over my son and cover up better. I informed him that I did not have a blanket nor would I like him to get me one and also that I had no breast exposed anyway....

Moments later we were confronted by another security guard. I immediately told her that I had no intention on listening to what she had to say. My husband told her that she had to back away from my son and I and speak with him further down the hall. While I continued to feed my son, my husband dealt with this person. She asked why they couldn't provide me with a blanket or buy me a new one. My husband explained to her that we weren't going to use a dirty blanket or use a new one that hadn't been laundered. At this point the first security guard came back to get involved. He asked why I couldn't move the breastfeeding into a more private location like the bathroom. My husband asked him if he liked to eat on a toilet seat in a public bathroom. The security guard replied that I didn't have to sit on a toilet. My husband asked where should she sit, on the floor. The security guard replied that I could stand in the bathroom. My husband laughed and said "obviously you've never breastfed." Then the security guard suggested I go out to my car to breastfeed. IT WAS 30o OUTSIDE!!!!!!

New York City Mayor Promotes Breast Feeding

February 12, 2007

Go Mayor Mike! I always knew I sort of liked you, even though you are a Republican. But now I think you've won me over.

The New York Post is reporting that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is spending more than $2 million to get city run hospitals to promote breastfeeding.

"We don't yet have any hospitals in New York City that meet national 'baby-friendly' standards," Bloomberg's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden, said at a parenting conference last week.

"That means getting formula out of the nursery. It means putting the baby on the breast immediately after birth. It means that every person who interacts with that mother and child is supportive and encouraging of breast-feeding."

According to the Post, Deborah Kaplan, chief of the Health Department's Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health, says the days of hospital goody bags filled with formula freebies are over. Hospitals will now give new moms ice packs to keep pumped breast milk fresh.

The Gothamist covered this one as well.

The man who doesn't want you to smoke in City bars or clog your coronaries with sweet, sweet trans fats now wants to do something healthy for the tiniest and newest New Yorkers...City health commissioner, Thomas Frieden, wants babies to dine on nothing but their mothers' breast milk for the first six months of life. Right now, about 75% of New York mommies breast feed their babies but nearly 40% stop before the six month mark.

It's nice to see a politician promote breastfeeding.
Oh, and by the way, it seems fitting that we can say Happy Birthday to you too, Mayor Mike.

Consumer Reports Recalls Its Own Report On Infant Car Seats

January 18, 2007

Consumer Reports has always been my Bible. I would never buy a car or a children's product without first checking what CR has to say.

Well today, my faith in CR is shot. They've withdrawn the scathing story they published earlier this month about infant car seats. It seems there was a big mistake in the report. The report claimed CR tested the car seats at a certain speed, 38 m.p.h, when in fact it was closer to 70 m.p.h according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

CR is backpedaling furiously. If you try to find that original story on its site, it is gone. Gone. Completely gone. I wrote a post about the original report. And now, when I click on the links in that post that are supposed to take me to the study, I'm directed instead to today's press release.

Here's a quote from that orginal study:

Cars and car seats can’t be sold unless they can withstand a 30-mph frontal crash. But most cars are also tested in a 35-mph frontal crash and in a 38-mph side crash. Car seats aren’t.

When we crash-tested infant car seats at the higher speeds vehicles routinely withstand, most failed disastrously. The car seats twisted violently or flew off their bases, in one case hurling a test dummy 30 feet across the lab. Here are the details:

Of 12 infant seats we tested, only 2 performed well: the Baby Trend Flex-Loc and the Graco SnugRide with EPS.

Nine infant seats provided poor protection in some or all of our tests, even though they meet the federal safety standard. One seat, the Evenflo Discovery, didn’t even meet that standard. We urge federal officials to order a recall of that seat.

Here's what CR is saying today:

Consumer Reports is withdrawing its recent report on infant car seats pending further tests of the performance of those seats in side-impact collisions.

A new report will be published with any necessary revisions as soon as possible after the new tests are complete.

We withdrew the report immediately upon discovering a substantive issue that may have affected the original test results. The issue came to light based on new information received Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerning the speed at which our side-impact tests were conducted.

For a minute now, let's put aside the colossal error CR seems to have made and look at the bigger picture. If these seats were actually tested at 70 m.p.h, and they "failed disastrously," then maybe the seats really are dangerous. Honestly, don't most of us drive on highways from time to time? If so, we're not going 38 m.p.h., that's for sure.

In which case, maybe it's NHTSA which should come under a bit of scrutiny here. According to the New York Times, NHTSA only requires car seats to pass a test at 30 m.p.h.

The federal government requires that the seats protect babies in front impacts of 30 m.p.h. The highway traffic safety agency said it was trying to develop a side-impact standard. It rates cars under a New Car Assessment Program, which it uses to award “stars” to each model, and those are done at 38 m.p.h. for side impact.

So, while I'm disappointed in Consumer Reports, I do think there may just be a kernel worth hanging on to in their report. Moms and dads, check out their original study, it's worth considering.

FDA Warns Nestle Over Baby Formula

December 18, 2006

If you've been using Nestle's Good Start Infant Formula with Iron to feed your baby, you may want to think twice.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Nestle a warning letter on November 27th after a sample failed to meet proper nutrient levels. It seems the sample, collected in May, did not meet minimum requirements for calcium and phosphorus.

Nestle has said that its tests found that its product is fine. Here is a quote from a Reuters news story:

"We are working with FDA to better understand how issues relating to analytical testing methods might explain the differences noted in these two nutrients," the company said.

The Dairy Reporter.com reported that Nestle stands by its product.

“We have had two independent tests done by absolutely top quality laboratories and we have not been able to confirm the findings of the FDA,” said a Nestlé spokesperson. “There is no question of a recall. We are in contact with the FDA and discussions are in progress.”

Nestle has had problems with its formula in the past. It was first accused, in the 1970's, of unethically pushing formula on women in developing countries and thus discouraging them from breast feeding. Check out Breastfeeding.com for background on the boycott. This will lead you to Baby Milk Action, a group devoted to boycotting Nestle.

Nestle has 15 working days from receipt of the letter to respond. So that brings us to some time this week. Let's see what happens. I have calls in to both the FDA and Nestle to see what's happening. I'll keep you posted.

And PS...thanks to Micky at Mocha Milk for first pointing out this story.

Massachusetts Moms-- Call Today to Help Pass Breastfeeding Law

December 07, 2006

Did you know that Massachusetts is one of only 5 states that doesn't have a breastfeeding law to protect moms and babies? In fact, moms have no legal protection if they want to breastfeed in public in Massachusetts.

There is a bill that could change that, but it's stuck in a committee right now. Tanya at The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog has a great explanation of what's going on in the Commonwealth, my home state. She writes:

The Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition is urging calls to the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, especially today (Thursday, 12/7). SB 2704 is stalled in this committee, and the bill is encountering opposition from restaurant owners. They are urging calls to Chairman DeLeo of the House Ways and Means Committee at 617-722-2990. I just called, and it was quick and easy! You can find talking points here.

Unfortunately I don't live in Beantown anymore, so my call won't count. But yours could help. Click on Tanya's post for more information. And help make Massachusetts the progressive state that it claims to be.

Tragic End-- Missing Man Found Dead

December 06, 2006

Authorities have found the body of James Kim, the San Francisco man who got lost with his family during a snow storm in Oregon. Kim's wife, Kati, and their two daughters survived. Kati breastfed the four year old and the seven month old when they ran out of food. They were found Monday in their car. James had left the car on foot, hoping to find help for his wife and kids.

Kim was a senior editor at CNET. This is a website set up by the Kim family.

Lost Mom Saves Her Kids By Breastfeeding

December 05, 2006

This is a truly remarkable story.
A San Francisco family was stranded in the snowy Oregon wilderness for nine days, and the mom kept her kids alive by breastfeeding them. The four year old and seven month old are doing well now. The San Francisco Chronicle has details of their trip and how they got lost. ABC News has a piece on how breast milk kept the kids alive.
Unfortunately, the father is still missing. He left his wife and kids to try to get help.

Dallas Nurse In A Success

December 02, 2006

They came, they saw, they nursed!
Twenty-seven adults and twenty-nine kids (according to organizers) met at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport for their nurse-in. This time, the police let them stay. That's Texas justice for you!

The Mommy Blawg has a fantastic description of the events at DFW including a power outage in the middle of the whole thing. She also had this insightful commentary:

Then it struck me. For every Emily Gillette who is strong enough and educated enough to stand up for her rights - get a lawyer and file a complaint, know the right people to contact to inspire over 700 people in 40 cities to show up at their local airports two days before Thanksgiving garnering national and international media coverage - there are countless others who are intimidated, harassed, or embarrassed, and do nothing. Worse, think of the mothers who never breastfeed because they are daunted by the thought of nursing in public and want to have a life. Think of the babies whose hunger cries are ignored because they come at an "inconvenient" time or place, impairing the nursing relationship and reducing their mom's milk supply.

Modesty, or "discretion", is a red herring. I see women and girls all the time dressed immodestly. I would love to ask a woman with a lace thong peeking out of her ultra-low-cut jeans to just wrap a sweater around her waist. I don't want to see that, and I don't want my husband or young boys to see it either. What would be so hard about covering up a little? But I don't, because she is free to dress how she wants, and so am I. We invaded Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban (and their oppressive treatment of women), but some misinformed people here at home still try to dictate what a mother and baby can do in public.

This battle is about raising awareness of the law. Until policemen, flight attendants, restaurant managers, store owners, movie theater ushers, and last but not least the mothers themselves know that a baby has the right to breastfeed anytime, anywhere, and its mother is not legally required to be "discreet", the Nurse-in will continue to be used until society as a whole, "gets it".

Dallas Nurse In Rescheduled For Friday

November 30, 2006

A long, long time ago, I lived in Dallas. I was there for a summer job during law school. During my stint in "The Big D" I discovered that the cowboy motif was alive and well. I learned to say "inn-surance" (emphasis on "in") instead of "in-sur-ance" (emphasis on "sur"). And I realized I was essentially considered a foreigner since I was from Boston.

So, why in the world, you ask, did a New England girl who wore a lot of black and didn't have big hair go to Texas? I went there for a guy, of course. And once that relationship ended I never went back. Since then, I've only passed through the airport on a cross-country trip. And from what I remember, that is one big airport.

So those ladies in Dallas have their work cut out for them tomorrow. Last week, during the nationwide nurse-in, police at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport turned away the moms and babes who showed up. Well now they're coming back on Friday and holding another nurse in at 10 am at the Delta ticket counter. To see a copy of the press release, click on the word "comments" at the bottom of this entry.

You probably recall that this was all started when Emily Gillette was kicked off a Delta commuter flight (operated by Freedom Airlines) for breast feeding her daughter. During the nationwide nurse in, roughly 850 people gathered at 40 airports across the country.

After tomorrow, we should be able to add the Texas crew to the rally tally. So ladies, since everything-- especially the airport-- really is bigger in Texas, make sure you go to Terminal E. Remember, don't mess with Texas!

Nationwide Nurse In on Tuesday

November 19, 2006

For the past couple of days I've been watching a grass roots movement in action. Moms across the country are getting together, via the internet, to organize a nationwide nurse in on Tuesday, November 21st. They've been galvanized by the story of Emily Gillette, the mom who was kicked off a Freedom Airlines flight (a commuter flight for Delta) for breastfeeding. Moms who have never met each other before are talking about meeting at 10 am, at Delta counters around the country. They're drafting press releases, making t-shirts, discussing logistics, even debating the merits of organizing the event. It's pretty cool to watch this unfold.

If you want to find specific information about the nurse in, you can check out this Yahoo Chat group. You can also check out ProMom and Mothering.

Click onto any of these links to see the internet -- and some spirited women-- in action.

International Breast Feeding Symbol

November 16, 2006

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the contest Mothering magazine was running to create an new international breast feeding symbol. The idea is that there should be something similar to the signs which indicate no smoking, or a ladies room or handicapped access. So at long last, breast feeding moms, there's something for you too. Drum rollllllllll please....here's the winner.

The magazine has made the image available copyright free, for use in the public domain. That means anyone can download it. Go to Mothering to download the symbol for your own use, and to read what the magazine has to say about the symbol. Here's an excerpt:

The purpose of an international symbol for breastfeeding is to increase public awareness of breastfeeding, to provide an alternative to the use of a baby bottle image to designate baby friendly areas in public, and to mark breastfeeding friendly facilities...(S)ometimes there are no chairs in public, sometimes nowhere to change the baby, or for the mother separated from her baby, nowhere to plug in an electric breast pump. Mothers welcome quiet, private places in public where they can collect themselves and their children. The symbol could designate these kinds of places. In addition, businesses could use this symbol to designate a lactation room, required now by law in California. Restaurants could use the image to let moms know, "Breastfeeding welcome here."

You can also read an interview with the creator of the symbol, Matt Daigle of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He is a stay-at-home dad, freelance graphic designer, and cartoonist. He and his wife have a one-year-old son.

Elizabeth Vargas Fake Breast Feeding Photo Update

November 15, 2006

A few days ago I wrote about how Marie Claire magazine published a fake photo of ABC anchor Elizabeth Vargas breast feeding. I've now had a chance to review the article, and here's my take.

The piece is nothing earth shattering. It's a Q &A about Vargas' career and family. What do we learn? That she's not exactly like the rest of us-- she has a cook, an immaculate apartment and she's married to the singer Marc Cohn. Not to mention she is one of THE stars of ABC news. (You may remember she and Bob Woodruff were supposed to be the future of ABC's evening news. They were named co-anchors after Peter Jennings died. Then Woodruff got seriously injured in Iraq and Vargas got pregnant. So now she's back at 20/20 and Charlie Gibson has the anchor job). But in other ways she is like the rest of us. She has to figure out how to balance work and family. When she was anchoring the evening news, her son wouldn't go to sleep until she got home.

As for that photo...from my perspective, there is no reason your average reader would think it was a fake. The story byline says "By Judith Newman, Photo Illustration by Eric Cahan." Does that mean anything to any of you? Certainly not to me. I just don't get what Marie Claire was thinking. Didn't it occur to them that most people wouldn't get the distinction, and that ultimately, someone (Drudge) would point out the liberties they took?

The Boston Herald ran a story on this today. There was an additional comment from Marie Claire:

“We wanted an arresting, satirical image to make the reader stop and read this important story about what happens when job and family collide. This is an image illustration and is stated so with the byline of this story.”

Wouldn't a real photo have made the case just as strongly?

Oh, and by the way, the photo at the top of this entry is from The Boston Herald. Just wouldn't want anyone to be confused.

Mom Kicked Off Plane For Breast Feeding

File this one under-- you've got to kidding.

A New Mexico mom says Freedom Airlines kicked her off a flight for breastfeeding her daughter on board the plane. The plane was waiting to take off from an airport in Burlington, Vermont, when 27 year-old Emily Gillette says a flight attendant asked her to put a blanket over the baby's head. Gillette says she refused. That's when a Delta ticketing agent asked Gillette and her husband and daughter to get off the plane. Freedom was operating the Delta flight between Burlington and New York City.

Now, imagine for a minute you are a passenger on this plane. Which would you prefer-- (a) or (b). (A) listening to a screaming, miserable baby on your flight, and maybe, by chance, feeling a little odd about the slight potential that you could see a little bit of the mom's boob. Or (B), contentedly-- in silence-- reading your trashy novel, working on your lap top, listening to your iPod, or trying to meditate to transport yourself away from the sardine box in which you are all crammed. I'm sure most of you picked (B), thinking, "Just feed the poor child and make the crying stop already!!" And if you picked (A), think about how you would feel if the flight attendant said, "Sorry, no pretzels for you on your flight today."

But back to the story at hand...

Here's what a Freedom Spokesperson had to say about the incident to The Boston Globe:

"A breast-feeding mother is perfectly acceptable on an aircraft, providing she is feeding the child in a discreet way," that doesn't bother others, said Paul Skellon, spokesman for Phoenix-based Freedom. "She was asked to use a blanket just to provide a little more discretion, she was given a blanket, and she refused to use it, and that's all I know."

Gillette has filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission as well as Delta and Freedom Airlines. She told the Burlington Free Press she'd like to see the airlines change their policies. In addition, she'd like the airlines to make a donation to an organization of her choice and give her another trip.

Elizabeth Vargas Breast Feeding-- Photo is a Fake

November 14, 2006

Here is the latest from the Drudge Report:

Marie Claire magazine has published a fake photo of ABC News' "20/20" anchor Elizabeth Vargas breast feeding. I have to go pick up the December issue of the magazine to see for myself. But here's what Drudge has to say:

A source close to the anchor says Vargas' is disappointed but has a sense of humor about the whole thing.

"Elizabeth was more than happy to sit for the interview but was disturbed that the magazine would set aside basic journalistic standards to photoshop her head onto a fake image. Vargas did joke that her real baby is cuter, that she is proud to breastfeed her newborn but wouldn't do it at the anchor desk and that she wouldn't be caught dead in that ugly gold blouse!"

A MARIE CLAIRE spokesperson counters: "There isn’t a working mother who can’t relate to this image and immediately identify with the very real dilemma Elizabeth Vargas wrestled with. We do not believe anyone seriously thought she would nurse and report the news the same time! This is an image illustration and is stated so with the byline of this story. We only want to make the point that women choosing between their career and being a parent is a tough decision that we are very sensitive to. We at MARIE CLAIRE think that Vargas is a great journalist and we look forward to watching her on 20/20. We are also grateful for her interview, which we hope reaches the many women who can relate to this serious topic."

Here are my thoughts:

First, I really like Elizabeth Vargas. I like her reporting style. And on the superficial side, she always has great clothes and hair! Plus, I used to be a former television reporter, so I can relate to the challenges she must face as a working mom. Television news, like many professions, is incredibly demanding on your time. It can be unpredictable. You can be called off to work at the drop of a hat. It's not easy then to find a balance between work and family. So hats of to Vargas for pulling it off. I'm looking forward to seeing what she says in the interview.

Second, as a former reporter, I simply don't understand why Marie Claire would feel the need to fake a photograph. It's wrong journalistically. They didn't need to do an "image illustration" -- or whatever that is, as they call it-- in order to make the point that being a working mom is tough. We know that. No news there. Besides which, the photo doesn't exactly support that point. Where's the burp cloth? Everything looks just a little too perfect. No one is that poised when breast feeding.

So, it will be interesting to see how this story develops. As they say, stay tuned...

Flying and Pumping--What's a Mom to Do

October 16, 2006

Update: a new rule effective August 4, 2007 does away with the limits on the amount of breast milk a mom can carry on board a plane.

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I love the Style section in the Sunday New York Times. Seriously, it's the highlight of the paper for me. My husband brings it to me if I'm still in bed, breast feeding the Titty Bear (From here on out, the Titty Bear will simply be called "The Bear." We decided he might be embarrassed to learn some day that we called him the Titty Bear. What would his friends say?)

I digress. Anyway, I was thrilled yesterday to see a piece in the Style section about a mom who goes on a business trip, breast pump in hand. She describes all the crazy places she had to pump (in the plane, on a bus, in a closet), and ultimately what happened when she had to pass through airport security with a cooler full of breast milk.

The new restrictions for carry-on luggage have made traveling even tougher for breast feeding moms who have left their babes at home and need to pump.

It's all a little confusing, so I called the TSA to try to figure this out. Here's the deal: If you have a baby with you, you can bring formula and pumped breast milk on board. You just have to show it to an agent at the security check point. If you don't have a baby with you, you are more restricted. You can bring on board the plane one, quart-size ziploc bag, with three ounce containers of breast milk inside. (Each passenger is allowed one ziploc bag for any toiletries). If you have more milk than that, you will have to put it in a cooler, pack it up with ice, and send it on it's way with your luggage.

For a little more information, here's a link to the TSA's rules about carry on luggage. Here is specific information about breast milk and formula.

So if you're planning a trip any time soon, and need to leave the babe behind and instead, tote the pump, good luck to you. I know these flight restrictions are there to keep us safe, but boy oh boy, do you need a serious level of dedication if you intend to bring that liquid gold home with you. Happy trails to you.

Plane Crash Puts Things in Perspective

October 11, 2006

If you live in New York City, or watch CNN, you most likely know that a small private plane hit a condominium building today. The pilot, New York Yankee Cory Lidle, and co-pilot died.

At the time of the crash, I was four blocks south of the accident scene, in a doctor's office at New York Presbyterian Hospital. I had the baby with me. Our older son was at home with a babysitter. While I was sitting in the waiting room, some office workers started talking loudly about an explosion and a fire across the street. A few minutes later, people started saying a plane had hit a building. I called my husband. He checked the internet and confirmed that it was a plane.

Here are the thoughts that went through my head. Am I safer inside, or outside? If I'm inside, what if the fire spreads to this building? If I'm outside, could there be another explosion? Why isn't anyone telling us what to do?! Ironically, I was never too concerned that it was a terrorist incident.

The doctor I was supposed to see came out to talk to me. We decided we would do the appointment on another day, and we left. I had driven our car across the city to get to the doctor's office, but now there was no way I was going to be able to drive back. The car was parked one block from the accident scene.

Outside, the street was a total mess. Caravans of fire engines, police cars and ambulances raced up York Avenue. Some people walked calmly, as if nothing at all was happening. But then there were others...TV news trucks trying to make their way through the traffic, videographers and photographers running with their gear, doctors running from the hospital towards the scene. Helicopters hovered overhead.

When I was a reporter, I used to be one of those people running towards the chaos, trying to get the best pictures, rushing to figure out what was happening. Now, I just wanted to get as far away, as fast as possible. I pulled the baby's hat low over his ears to shield him from the noise, and started my manic-mama-on-a-mission walk.

As it turned out, the biggest risk at that point, was making it safely through the traffic. Everything was bumper to bumper, so crossing the street was a challenge. I made it home one hour later, walking in absurdly high heels, pushing the stroller in the rain, through Central Park on a narrow sidewalk not really meant for pedestrians.

Back home safely, I'm thinking about the two people who died, and the others who were hurt or had their lives severely disrupted. Tonight, all the petty things that I ususally worry about don't seem so important. I'm not as concerned about the looming book deadline. I'm not analyzing the nutritional value of the Bortskerini's dinner. So what if the baby wakes up again in the middle of the night. So what.

Tomorrow, we'll get up far earlier than we'd like. Half asleep, I'll breastfeed one baby while spoon feeding the other one. I'll stumble my way through the morning and things will go on as usual. I'll check my email, re-schedule that doctor's appointment, and take our older son to school. And at some point, I'll retrieve my car from the other side of town, and stare at the black scars on the side of a building that some people call home.

Hip to NIP (Nurse in Public)?

October 08, 2006

Remember the brouhaha last month when Toys R Us in Times Square asked a breastfeeding mom to take it elsewhere? First there was the incident. Then there was the protest outside the store.

To see if anything has changed in Manhattan since then, a New York Daily News reporter went under cover--so speak-- taking her baby with her on a breastfeeding excursion around New York City. The assigment...figure out places where it's "hip to nip."

Her findings: An ultra fancy restaurant, Le Cirque? No problem. Public bus? Just fine. The Apple Store? Check. The Metropolitan Museum of Art? More or less fine. Babies "R" Us? Believe it or not, some bumps in the road.

So how do you feel about nursing in public? Comfortable? Uncomfortable? Personally, I've feed our kids anywhere and everywhere...as long as it won't completely offend the people around me. I've breastfeed while getting a pedicure; while the baby was getting an ultrasound of his hip; and while sitting in a parked car during a funeral at West Point.

But now I'd love to hear from you. Share your stories about your most unusual lactation location.

Baby Einsteins?

October 04, 2006

Have you ever tried to actually read an article printed in a medical journal? I've had to do it more than a few times...while working as a reporter, and now, while researching my book, "Mama Knows Breast." Personally, I find that reading the results of a scientific study is an exercise in skimming and extreme concentration. I'm not a doctor. I don't play one on TV, and the last science class I took was aptly nicknamed "Physics for Poets." Science is not my forte. Just give me the bottom line.

Anyway, I just read the latest study that examined the possibility of a link between breastfeeding and intelligence. And here's the study's conclusion: "Breast feeding has little or no effect on intelligence in children. While breast feeding has many advantages for the child and mother, enhancement of the child's intelligence is unlikely to be among them."

The study was published today in the British Medical Journal, BMJ. Here's a link. The study notes that since 1929, other researchers have found that children who were breastfed had higher IQ's. But this new study says some of the earlier research is flawed because it did not consider the mother's IQ as a factor. Basically, the study published today says that kids inherit their IQ; they don't get it from breastfeeding.

The authors write, "Children who were breast fed had mothers with higher IQ and with more education and who were older, less likely to be in poverty or to smoke, and more likely to provide a stimulating and supportive home environment." In other words, the kids were smart because their moms were smart, not because they were breastfed.

As the headline from a Medpage story put it, "Children Inhert IQ From Mom's Brains; Not Her Milk." For more news stories on this research, you can go to WebMd, MSNBC, or the CBC.

So why don't I groove on reading scientific articles? Is it because my mom breastfed me for six months and not longer? I doubt it. I simply didn't get the math or science gene in the family. It went to my brother, the neurologist. And he got less breastmilk than I did.

Way To Go Toys "R" Us

September 16, 2006

A New York mom says she was harassed by Toys "R" Us employees for breastfeeding her 7 month old son in the Times Square store. Chelsi Meyerson said employees tried to get her to go somewhere else to feed her baby. When she refused, she said they summoned a security guard. The store says employees only offered a private room and did not call a guard.

New York State law allows breastfeeding in most public places. Meyerson, with backing from the American Civil Liberties Union, is demanding an apology and compensation.

Here's a press release from the ACLU.
Here's a story from UPI.

Personally, I've had to feed both of my kids in "kids" stores many times. These stores are populated by parents, grandparents and other caregivers after all. They've seen it all before. And I'm sure they'd choose a little discreet breastfeeding over a screaming, inconsolable baby.

Similac Recall

Similac has voluntary recalled hundreds of thousands of bottles of ready to feed infant formula because they may not have enough Vitamin C.

The recall is for approximately 100,000 32-ounce plastic bottles of Similac Alimentum Advance liquid formula and approximately 200,000 bottles of Similac Advance with Iron. Some hospital discharge kits are affected as well.

The problem seems to be that the bottles are missing a special layer that keeps air out. When the oxygen enters the bottle, it causes the level of vitamin C to decrease over time.

Abbott, the maker of Similac, says there have been no serious medical complaints. But the concern is that if infants drink formula without enough vitamin C for two to four weeks, they could show symptoms of vitamin C deficiency such as irritability with generalized tenderness.

Here is a news story from The New York Times.

You can find the company press release on the Similac website. Look for it at the bottom of the home page. There is a short sentence which says click here for information on the voluntary recall.

Way to Go Vanity Fair---The Suri Scoop

September 10, 2006

As I've said, it's not breastfeeding news, but I can't help myself. Like many others, I've been fascinated by the baby Suri story. I couldn't wait for my October issue of Vanity Fair to arrive, so I bought a copy at a newsstand. The reward--- ok, so I got to see the very first public photos of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' baby. But what did I really get? An incredibly disappointing piece of "journalism." What a waste of money.

I've been a Vanity Fair fan for years. In fact, I worked for a Conde Nast publication after graduating college. (I was a fact checker at Conde Nast Traveler). While Vanity Fair has it's share of fluff, and a viewpoint to be sure, I always felt that the journalism wasn't so bad. Well, not this piece.

For twenty-two pages we get to see some beautiful Annie Liebovitz photographs. But there's not one ounce of interesting news. There's nothing about Cruise's public feud with Brooke Shields about her battle with post-partum depression; nothing about his Scientology faith; nothing about his recent split with Paramount Pictures. Sure, we read that Tom is a doting dad and that Katie is upset about all the rumors in the media. But the whole week-long gathering of the extended Holmes and Cruise clans at Tom's 400 acre retreat in Telluride, CO seems little more than a P.R. stunt. The reporter spent "the good part of a week" there and this is all she got?

So what did I learn from the story? Here's a quote for you: "Most mornings, everyone tries to be the first to pick up the baby from her crib or to offer her a morning bottle." Is breast milk or formula in there? Maybe I'll write a letter to the editor of VF to find out. In the meantime, anyone want my subscription copy when it finally arrives?

Letters to The New York Times

September 07, 2006

You may recall the recent New York Times story about how hard it is for working moms to breastfeed, especially moms who don't have "white collar" jobs. As the article pointed out, white collar workers have an easier time pumping because they often have privates offices or even designated lactation rooms. "Blue collar" workers often find their jobs incompatible with breastfeeding, and their employers unsupportive. ( I wrote about this story on September 4).

These Letters to the Editor reaffirm the primary point of the article. They emphasize the need for employers, and even the government, to foster an environment that makes it easier to pump, or even breastfeed, at work.

At Long Last--Baby TomKat Makes Her Debut

September 06, 2006

Ok, fine, it's not breastfeeding news, but I can't resist. The first photos of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' baby have finally appeared. We've had months of media speculation...Where is Suri? Why won't they show photos? Is something wrong with Suri? Is something wrong with Katie? (Why in the world is she with that wacko?!?!) Now finally, the world is getting their first glimpse of the TomKitten. Baby Suri appears with her mom and dad on the cover of the October issue of Vanity Fair. Annie Leibovitz took took the photos. I'll go get the magazine tomorrow. Perhaps Katie will have something to say about breastfeeding.

And the Booby Prize Goes to--- McDonald's in the UK

September 05, 2006

A UK based non-profit has awarded the breastfeeding "booby prize" to McDonald's in Britain. The organization, National Childbirth Trust (NCT), says that women find the fast food chain unaccomodating to breastfeeding moms. NCT says moms have been asked to either stop breastfeeding, or take their babes to the "loo." How unappealing. McDonald's in the UK has defended itself in the media, saying its policy is to allow breastfeeding in its restaurants. NCT did give high honors to Ikea, the Swedish furniture giant.

So does McDonald's have a bad rap here on the other side of the Atlantic? Have you been forced to take your tot's very own "fast food" somewhere else? Tell us your views. And who do you think deserves the booby prize closer to home?

Breastfeeding Challenges for Working Moms

September 04, 2006

To state the obvious...The New York Times is reporting that breastfeeding is easier for "professional" working moms, than it is for "working class" moms. In this front page story, the Times highlights the differences at Starbucks. At the corporate offices in Seattle, moms have a special lactation room and company-supplied pumps. Women who work in the Starbucks coffee shops, on the other hand, have to pump in the same bathroom that customers use.

Is this really news? Or is the Times finally telling a story that needs to be told? Health care professionals tell us that breast milk is the "gold standard" for infant nutrition, but our working culture makes breastfeeding a big challenge.

Moms who work in restaurants, department stores and factories have to jump through hoops to find a place and time to pump. Even under the best of circumstances, moms who have a private office, designated lactation room or conference room, find that they have to explain to their bosses, colleagues and clients that they are unavailable at certains times of the day because they need to pump. Let's face it, breastfeeding is simply much easier for moms who are able to stay home with their babies. They don't have to worry about pumping often enough during the day to maintain their milk supply.

According to the New York Times article, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is about to launch a campaign called "The Business Case for Breastfeeding." This will emphasize findings that breastfeeding reduces absenteeism and pediatrician bills. But is an ad campaign really going to change anything for women in this country? Maybe, maybe not. At a minimum, it can't hurt. Even if one company finds a way to make it easier for breastfeeding moms, then it's a start. For the forseeable future, be prepared to fight your own battles.

So what's your experience? How supportive is your office?

It's World Breastfeeding Week

August 08, 2006

A whole week...August 1 to 7...devoted to none other than our favorite topic-- breastfeeding. La Leche League is behind this. So if you were wondering why you keep seeing so many news stories about breastfeeding, this is the reason. Reporters need a news peg after all!

Breastfeeding Linked to Reduced Bedwetting

July 11, 2006

Ok, so just when you thought that they couldn't come up with another study showing the benefits of breastfeeding, here's one for you. Breastfeed kids are less likely to wet their beds. That's the news according to a study done by researchers at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s children’s hospital and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Here's the story.

The New York Times Takes a Stand

July 05, 2006

In an editorial, The New York Times, has taken a position on the government sponsored campaign to promote breastfeeding. To summarize...The NYT says, it's good for the government to educate people about the benefits of breastfeeding, but not to make people feel guilty if they don't breastfeed. Here's a link to the article.

Nursing Moms Protest At Victoria's Secret

June 29, 2006

Victoria's Secret sells boobs. Let's face it. That's how they get men to buy lingerie. So their advertisements are far from prudish. Ironic then, that two women, one in Wisonsin and one in Massachusetts, who wanted to breastfeed at the store were told to take their baby and her breasts elsewhere. Victoria's Secret says the employees who told the women to leave were mistaken; the company allows breastfeeding in the store.

So what's a mom to do? Protest. There were nusing sit-ins at stores across the country this weekend.

Comments on the NYT Breastfeeding Article

June 26, 2006

A couple of weeks ago the NYT ran a big article about the benefits of breastfeeding. The article focused on a government public health campaign to promote breastfeeding. Conversations about the article and the campaign now continue on the internet. "Breast-feed or Else" was the article's title. Now NYT blogger Judith Warner has written an entry "Why Vilify Mothers Who Bottle-Feed?" Check out the more than one hundred comments to her blog entry.

Another Breastfeeding Benefit--Preventing Obesity

June 19, 2006

Breatfed babies are less likely to put on extra weight. That's the latest from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here's The New York Times story.

Senator Proposes Warning Label on Formula

June 15, 2006

Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is proposing that formula manufacturers be required to put warning labels on formula stating the breast milk is the ideal way to feed infants. The bill also has a provision aimed at making workplaces offer accomodations to moms who need to pump or breastfeed.

Here's a link to his proposed bill. See Titles II and III. This proposal is part of a larger bill aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles for all Americans.

Government Ad Campaign Encourages Breastfeeding

June 14, 2006

The government is encouraging mothers to breastfeed with an aggressive advertising campaign. The Department of Health and Human Services' ads suggest that not breastfeeding is actually dangerous to your baby's health. One of the television ads shows a pregnant woman clutching her stomach while riding a mechanical bull in a bar. The suggestion...its risky to ride a bull, and risky to give your baby formula. The slogan of the campaign...Babies Were Born to Be Breastfed.

Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa is going one step further. He has proposed putting warning labels on cans of infant formula. Here's an article about this from The New York Times, as well as a Today Show segment that has clips from the television commercials.

Breastfeeding Wherever, Whenever

May 16, 2006

A number of states, including Mississippi, are passing laws that protect a mother's right to breastfeed in public. How does your state compare?

MA Hospitals Say NO to Formula Freebies

May 08, 2006

If you've had a baby recently you may have gotten a gift bag on your way out of the hospital. These spiffy black totes come filled with gifts...primarily formula samples and coupons. So guess who's behind the bags...the formula companies of course.

In Massachusetts, state policy makers are debating whether to ban the bags. Meanwhile, some hospitals are opting to stop giving out the bags altogether.

Personally, I like the bags. I got one when we had The Bortski at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and I still use it. It's held up remarkably well for the past 20 months. I got another one when we had The Titty Bear at Mt. Sinai in New York City. I don't care that they've come from a company with an agenda. I save the coupons, intending to use them; and I never do. And I save the formula samples in case of emergency. Getting these bags really didn't have any impact on my decision to breastfeed or not. Simply put...it saved me from spending a ridiculous amount of money on a fancy diaper bag that would get ruined by weather and spit up.

Breastfeeding World Record...Here are Pictures

May 05, 2006

Check out these pictures from the massive breastfeeding gathering yesterday in the Philippines.

Breastfeeding World Record

May 04, 2006

3,738 moms gathered today to breastfeed their babies in Manila, the capital of the Philippine's. This was the largest gathering to date of breastfeeding moms in one place. So will this get them into the Guinness Book of World Records? Probably. The previous record was set in 2002, by 1,135 women in Berkely, California.

Organizers of the Manila event did it promote breastfeeding. Only 16 percent of Filipino women breastfeed their kids for the first six months of their lives. The World Health Organization says about 16,000 Filipino children die each year because their formula is mixed with dirty water or the wrong amount of powder.
Check out this Reuters article.

Singer Faith Hill on Breastfeeding

May 01, 2006

Faith Hill laments the bigger bra size she had back when she was breastfeeding!

Moms in the Philippines Aim to Set Breastfeeding World Record

April 28, 2006

A group of moms in the Philippines are trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of people breastfeeding at one time. They'll go for the record on May 4 at a sports stadium. The previous record, of 1,130 women, was set in 2002 in Berkely, CA.

World Health Organization Releases New Standards for Kids' Growth

April 27, 2006

The World Health Organization has released a new study that gives guidance on how every child in the world should grow. These new standards, which are based on kids who were breastfed, show that growth is influenced more by nutrition and healthcare than by genetics or ethnicity. Here's the press release from the WHO.

Study Finds That Breastfeeding Prevents Obesity in Kids

A study in the May issue of the medical journal "Diabetes Care" found that moms who had gestational diabetes (diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy) can cut the risk that their children will be overweight if they breastfeed longer than three months. The study was done in Germany. Here's a link to the press release about the study.

Tom Cruise on Breastfeeding...PLUS... A New Way To Remember Which Breast to Use for the Next Feeding

April 26, 2006

Here's a quote from Tom Cruise on how he and Katie Holmes are handling the breastfeeding and diapering.

You may have heard that it's a good idea to alternate breasts at each feeding. In other words, let your baby eat until he's done from one side. At the next feeding, use the other breast. This enables the baby to get that precious "hind milk" that comes in after the baby has been feeding for a while. Great idea, but try remembering which boob to use when you were barely awake during the last feeding. Well here's a something that seems like a clever idea. It's a bra that has an indicator, a velcro patch, that you move from one breast to the other. Only a mom could have come up with something like this!

Oregon Breastfeeding Mom Takes on Department Store

April 25, 2006

A mother in Portland, Oregon was breastfeeding her baby at the Fred Meyer grocery store when a store manager asked her to stop. Angered, she contacted the company. As a result of her complaints, Fred Meyer apologized and said it will take steps to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.

Here's the mom's blog about her experience.

Here's a local news story about the incident.

Here's the store, Fred Meyer.