MichMoms Blog

Category: Breast feeding

Breastfeeding and summertime are perfect match

Unless you are one of the rare few -- the bold moms I so admire -- the question of how to balance breastfeeding with summertime activities is bound to enter your mind.

Concerns like pools and leakage, family BBQs, trips to the park and going for a morning jog can have many modest moms cooped up in their home for the whole season. This is not only completely unnecessary, but wasteful! There is no reason to sit out the summer because being in public and breastfeeding are compatible. I promise.

Let's start with the family gatherings. If you are new to nursing in public this is absolutely perfect. You are breaking your nursing in public seal surrounded by friends and family. Once you are a nursing pro you will look back and feel silly at how awkward you felt feeding your baby outdoors.

If the thought of nursing around people still makes you a little uneasy start smaller. Go in your backyard in the morning, breath in that fresh air, nurse your little one and listen to the birds sing. I am telling you, that is peace and love, baby.

Another popular summertime spot is the public pool. This setting can be downright terrifying, especially for the new mom. There is just not a lot of modesty options when nursing in a bathing suit, so start with the comfort or your backyard or family BBQ if you have to. One key piece of advice I have, especially for at the pool, is that people are really not paying attention to you.

I always felt like when I was about to nurse a huge spotlight beamed directly down on me and everybody held their breath and stared, absolutely appalled at what I was about to do. In reality, the insecurity was all mine, nobody around me noticed or cared. So when you are at the pool nurse with pride and if somebody happens to notice all the better. You are helping change our culture for the better. And don't worry about the leakage, you won't be swimming around with a streak of milk in your wake, I swear.

Nursing in the summertime is beautiful, convenient and healthy. You don't have to carry around formula, bottles and sterile water. Food for your baby is always ready, always the perfect temperature and always perfectly mixed. And all this with zero clean up required. So enjoy your summer of breastfeeding, I know I will!

Category: Breast feeding

Breastfeeding and working tough, but worth it

I recently had lunch with a co-worker who just returned from maternity leave. It was wonderful to talk with her, as she is also a nursing working mother. I have friends who are nursing their babies and friends who are working mothers, but none who do both.

We shared the joys and challenges of this decision: making sure our children have enough milk each day, balancing our work duties with setting aside time to find a quiet place to pump, yet knowing our babies were still receiving the nutrition we had started them with at birth.

It's not always easy; I know I have certainly found it to be a challenge, especially when I first returned to work. In following the schedule I had placed my daughter on, I would nurse her when she woke up in the morning, pump three times a day at work (at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.), then nurse her at least two more times before she went to bed for the night. I was also nursing her at least once during the night for a while, so the first few months back at work were completely exhausting! Luckily, I have a wonderful boss and workplace that has been completely supportive of my decision.

I'm so glad that I have stuck with it. My daughter is now almost 9 months old and I am still breastfeeding her in addition to feeding her solid foods. Thankfully, the schedule is a bit easier as she grows!

Overall, no matter the challenges, it makes me feel so good to know she is still getting exactly what she needs from me, even though I'm not able to be with her during the day and that we've been able to maintain the sweet time we share together each morning and night.

Nursing working mothers, let's hear from you! How did you make it all work for you? How long were you able to nurse your children after returning to work?

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Category: Breast feeding

Support, will, knowledge key to breastfeeding success

Nursing my daughter has been one of the most rewarding, wonderful things I have done. I tried with my son and failed miserably due to a variety of factors, including lack of knowledge, support and - most of all - confidence. That is the key, not only wanting to breastfeed, but believing you can.

Getting through the first few days of nursing without falling into a stress-induced panic that you are starving your baby is in my opinion the hardest part. After that all you need is your instincts and the confidence to trust them.

Surrounding yourself with people who want you to succeed is also crucial. My son received eight weeks of my milk - better than nothing, I guess. I envy the women who get this right the first time without all the help I so desperately needed.

With my daughter, I was lucky enough to have a group of women who cheered me on and answered all of my questions no matter how redundant and seemingly basic. With their support I felt empowered and strong. Why don't women give that to each other more often? I will always be a support system to women who want to nurse their babies -- a one woman cheer squad here!

Here we are, just more than one year of nursing my daughter and I am proud of us. Nursing is effortless now, but that came after a lot of hard work and dedication. Especially with me working full time. I had to pump. And pump. And pump. But my daughter received nothing but my breast milk for the first six months of her life so it was worth the effort. Looking at your healthy chunky baby and knowing that only your body sustained their little life since conception is amazing. Motherââ,¬â"¢s milk is amazing.

Right around 6 months old, we started giving her solids and she took off with it. The girl loves to eat, which is quite common in our house. We will probably wean when she is ready to give it up, which doesn't seem anytime soon.

So if you have nursed your babies in the past make sure you pass on your knowledge and offer support, even if it is just a smile to the young woman nursing in public. If you want to nurse your babies, know that you can do it! You will surprise yourself. As you teach yourself how to get this sometimes awkward new task right, your baby will be teaching you to mother through breastfeeding. All of your instincts come to life. Honest! Motherhood rocks the house.

You can find some helpful resources to ensure success in breastfeeding from your local La Leche League or at beautyofbreastfeeding.com.

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Category: Breast feeding

'Breast whisperer' gives hope to nursing moms

How many times have you either thought or heard another mom say, "It just wasn't worth it" when talking about breastfeeding? Something that is so natural and beneficial for mom and baby doesn't always come natural for mom and/or baby, and that can be really frustrating.

Still, nursing is on the rise and giving birth, so to speak, to a booming breastfeeding industry. That's where lactation consultants such as Pat Shelly, nicknamed "the Breast Whisperer," come in.

Check out this great Washington Post story on breastfeeding support - then share your breastfeeding successes and challenges with us here.

Category: Breast feeding

Nursing mom denied more time during test

Here's an update on the story on the Harvard medical student and new mother who requested extra time to pump breast milk during her licensing exam: Judge: No extra break for lactating exam taker

Long story short: Judge says play by the rules or postpone taking the exam.

What do you moms think?