Hey Mommypotamus! I’d like you to write about your view on breastfeeding (including tandem) and how a lot of WAPF members have differing opinions on the subject. I know, for me, this is a hot topic. I do not agree that the homemade formula is better than human milk and I believe in full term breastfeeding.

~ Michelle M.

Hot topic indeed! Sandrine of Nourishing Our Children initiated a firestorm on Facebook by mentioning this topic and followed up with this post. Though I agree with her points on child spacing (mine are three years apart), I think there are some misconceptions about full-term breastfeeding and tandem nursing that are unnecessarily polarizing the traditional food community. Before I get into that, though, let me tell you how I came to be a tandem-nursing mama.

The Blowoff Class That Changed My Life

Of all the things I planned for my junior year, hashing out weird breastfeeding dreams in my campus coffee shop was NOT one. But there I was, head spinning from a Tuesday night blowoff class innocuously titled “Study of the Family,” which according to my conservative Baptist college would most likely include a “right” way to do things, some checklists, and some dire warnings, yada yada yada.

She looked the part, my beautiful professor with raven black locks and bright pink lipstick. Diminuitive but captivating, exuding graciousness and love. Perfectly Baptist. Perfectly almost perfect – except she was about to wreck my life.

Not That It Was Worth Saving

I was your typical marketing success story:

What are breasts for? To fill out a Victoria’s Secret bra, of course!

What is childbirth like? Horrific. Avoid if at all possible, but if you must have the experience, be as drugged as legally allowable.

That was me, folks. And then I read the book. Our Babies, Ourselves is like the National Geographic of parenting. It’s a grand tour of child-raising practices around the world – the !Kung of the Kalahari desert, the hunter-gatherer Ache of Paraguay, the Gusii of Kenya, the Japanese, and us.

I was pretty shocked by the contents: The average age of weaning in these cultures is between TWO and FOUR? Mothers supplementing their pregnancy diet with armadillo fat and insect larvae? Yowsers. Equally surprising, though, is how traditional cultures view our parenting styles.

When Gusii mothers in southwestern Kenya were shown a videotape of middle-class American mothers with their babies,” said Meredith Small, an associate professor of anthropology at Cornell, “the Gusii mothers were shocked.”

Why did that American mother on the tape ignore her baby’s cries? Gusii mothers asked. Why do American babies sleep alone in small beds with bars, in their own rooms?¹

Why DO we do that? The !Kung’s respond to a crying or whimpering baby in 10 seconds on average while we fight our instincts because “studies indicate” we should let them work it out? Is this a sign that we handed parenting over to the “experts” just like we handed food over to “nutritionists” and food manufacturers? I think so. Co-sleeping is not for everyone. And honestly, there are many times my son has cried because he wanted attention I couldn’t give at the moment, but there is wisdom in the insights of these cultures.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying traditional societies are little utopias that get EVERYTHING right while we do EVERYTHING wrong. Personally I don’t want to live in a polygamous society (which the Gusii are). And though it is not unethical to eat insect larvae I’d rather not do that either. But those things aside there is a lot of to be learned here.

And That, Friends . . .

Is how a little class on ethnopediatrics changed the entire trajectory of my life. I was still **not** going to have kids, but if I did, I’d be a full-term breastfeeding, co-sleeping, babywearing, traditional culture mama. Finding traditional foods a few years later was the proverbial icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, not everyone thinks these two perspectives are as compatible as I do. When I asked Rami Nagel of Healing our Children, which teaches about indigenous child rearing methods, to comment on this he gave this reply: “Weston Price only made one small comment on traditional child raising practices related to the kindness of the parents:

I have been continually impressed with
the great infrequency with which we ever hear a
primitive child cry or express any discomfort
from the treatment it receives”

Great observation, Rami. Thank you! The peacefulness Dr. Price describes reminds me of an old Psalm, which says “But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Ps. 131:2). Does this ancient Hebrew description surprise you? Doesn’t the word “wean” typically conjure visions of an angst-ridden power struggle? It shouldn’t.

“The Hebrew word for wean is gamal, meaning “to ripen.” In ancient times, when children were breastfed until two or three years of age, it was a joyous occasion when a child weaned.* It meant the child was filled with the basic tools of the earlier stages of development and secure and ready to enter the next stage of development. A child who is weaned before his time may show anger, aggression, habitual tantrum-like behavior, anxious attachment to caregivers, and an inability to form deep and intimate relationships. We call these traits diseases of premature weaning.”

Dr. Sears: “Weaning” (emphasis mine)

Okay, I am not claiming that children who don’t nurse into toddlerhood are maladjusted in any way. Nursing is one among MANY ways to nurture a growing child. Just as there is no single “sacred food” shared by traditional cultures, there is no one activity that can claim to be the “right” thing for every family. But what about families that intuitively feel this is the right path, yet feel concerned that they will be doing a disservice to their growing baby?

Here’s What I Think . . .

As evidenced in the recent documentary Babies, there ARE traditional cultures that practice full-term breastfeeding/tandem nursing and produce gorgeous, well-structured babies. A lovely example of this is the little Namibian beauty Ponijao, who is tandem nursing with her older brother.

Second sibling syndrome is clearly not an issue here, indicating that breastfeeding while pregnant does not lead to de facto nutritional deficiencies for baby.

Below is an example of tandem nursing from one of the tribes greatly respected by the Weston A. Price Foundation, the Inuit Eskimos. According to tradition most Inuits did not tandem nurse, but they did breastfeed their daughters for six years and their sons for seven. Weaning at 6-12 months is not a traditional practice and should not be taken lightly in the traditional foods movement.

And this one, though it’s origins and specifics are unknown, speaks to the prevalence of this practice within traditional cultures.

Would the real food community benefit from inquiring more about breastfeeding practices from these cultures, learning of any “taboos” they have, and most importantly studying how they rebuild a mother’s nutritional stores within the context of a full-term breastfeeding/tandem nursing relationship? Should we consider the benefits of ecological breastfeeding to naturally space babies? I think so!

Like anything, I believe there are “best practices” for tandem nursing that include an INCREDIBLY nutrient-dense diet and optimal child spacing. But a huge part of the controversy surrounding this issue, I believe, is a misunderstanding about how much older babies nurse. In my own experience, nursing a toddler is far less involved than nourishing a newborn. Katie was two when I became pregnant with Micah. Due to fluctuating hormones and discomfort I limited our nursing sessions to about five minutes at naptime and bedtime. There were exceptions, of course, when she skinned her knee or nursed through an illness because she couldn’t keep solids down. (Side note: I have never found it possible to reason a sick toddler into drinking water or taking food, but have never had them refuse to nurse. Without this option I know of one illness in which we most definitely would have had to take her to the hospital for IV fluids to combat dehydration. And if you’re wondering why my healthy kids get sick, read this!)

Though it does continue to play a supportive role in nutrition and immune support, the primary benefit I personally experienced in nursing a 2-3 year old is the continued emotional bond. Katie was down to nursing just a few minutes a day when her brother was born, but I believe her sense that her “birthright” was still open to her did wonders for overcoming feelings of displacement and jealously.

How Did This Affect My Son’s Nutrition?

When Micah was finally born my midwives made a big hullabaloo over how well-nourished my placenta was. At 41.5 weeks it showed very little sign of calcification and it was HUGE. “Most placenta’s are about as thick as a pancake,” Christy told me, “yours is like a t-bone steak.” Boo-yah!

Also, due to the difficulty of my labor my midwives were expecting me to hemorrhage. I didn’t. They credited it to the optimal nutrition I’d received.

But here’s the rub: Micah’s palate is not as “perfect” as Katie’s according to crania-dental structural standards. Don’t get me wrong – he’s PERFECT to me, but this post is about the impact of nutrition on formation and development. So, in the interest of full disclosure I want to acknowledge this fact and share something that I believe sheds light on a possible reason for the difference. During the first few weeks of my pregnancy with Micah I experienced something so emotionally devastating that I nearly lost him. Stress of this kind can temporarily impair the ability of the placenta to deliver nutrients. If that happened at a key stage of development – like when his overall structure was being formed – it could explain certain things. Or it could be that his tongue tie restricted normal muscle function that helps develop the jaw – or the fact that he got stuck in the birth canal for so long and we just started taking him to a cranio-sacral therapist because his jaw is out of place – or it could just be that he has a different growth trajectory – or, or, OR!

Honestly, I don’t have all the answers when it comes to this. But with Dr. Price’s research and the emerging field of ethnopediatrics I am confident we can get things sorted out.

Okay, You Convinced Me. But It Gives Me The Oogies!

That’s okay. Eating fish eyes and cow brains gives me the oogies but I know that’s because of my cultural bias. I’m working on it, though. Seven years ago I couldn’t order chicken wings because the bones grossed me out and now I make stock every week. Sometimes it’s worth it to embrace new things.

When I asked Rami his thoughts on the subject, he sent some very thoughtful comments that I’ll leave you with.

Breastfeeding while pregnant or nursing is the mother’s choice. The mother must listen to herself. She is the ultimate authority when it comes to her children. Maybe women have two breasts for this reason?

Life doesn’t usually deal us ideal circumstances. Having twins is probably not ideal, but it happens. Likewise, if there was a large amount of child spacing, say 4-6 years, then the mother would not need to breastfeed while pregnant. Perhaps that is ideal. But one has to be very careful not to be judgmental or critical and say a mother is wrong to breastfeed while pregnant, or to tandem breastfeed just because it MIGHT not be ideal. Because hardly anything in this world is completely perfect. I certainly don’t see the harm in it if the mother wants to and has enough milk. She will

simply produce more milk in the case of two children. Her nutrition will be adequate if she has good digestion. She will just be hungrier and eat more food. If she does not have good digestion, and lacks enough breastmilk then tandem breastfeeding or breastfeeding while pregnant won’t work.

The mother must choose what is best for her children. And giving a baby more breastfeeding time, even if it comes at a minor nutritional expense, is going to be worthwhile. Theories about right and wrong are not a replacement for her own wisdom. Breastfeeding is the embodiment of a mother’s love. The child gets more than nutrition from breastmilk. He gets love. That is why women’s breasts are at their heart. Personally I support tandem breastfeeding and breastfeeding while pregnant, if the mother is healthy and is eating a nourishing diet. This is because the intimate contact of breastfeeding makes the world good, and pleasurable for the infant.

Just a side note: I am no longer a tandem nursing mama. Katie “ripened” according to Hebrew tradition in her third year of life. No angst. No power struggles. Just a celebratory cup of chamomile tea before bed.

Now, whether whether the homemade WAPF formula is better than human milk has everything to do with how well-nourished the mother is, but that’s a whole other discussion! Thanks for your question, Michelle!

What do you think?

* Rami Nagel says 2-3 years is probably a minimum. The Inuit Eskimo’s breastfed until 6 for girls and 7 for boys. In Mongolia, there’s an oft-quoted saying that the best wrestlers are breastfed for at least six years (source). And here are some more cultures that breastfed beyond for 3-7 years

Photo credit: Ebay and TulipGirl

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“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Yesterday I smiled at a a green-eyed blonde in gorgeous leather riding boots while wiping a Charlie Chaplin-style snot mustache from Micah’s lip. Wait! I forgot to tell you the best part: I wiped the snot blob with my sleeve. Oh yes, I am one of THOSE moms. The one who does NOT have a bandaid, wet wipe or [insert responsible mom paraphernalia] when zombie ducks attack. The one who can’t even get fake ducks all in a row and is still getting the hang of this mothering thing.

If you are feeling this way about breastfeeding, read on. Yesterday we covered why tongue and lip ties are often sources of misery like colic, reflux, low milk supply, early weaning, tooth decay, frequent night wakings and gapped teeth. Today I’m going to show you how to make an at-home diagnosis, get a consult with the leading expert in the U.S. for FREE, and seek out treatment options. What you learn could be the vital piece of information someone around you needs to help them on their journey or relieve regret and guilt when things don’t go as planned. As Joy shared yesterday, understanding ties can be a very powerful thing:

My son was born almost 8 months ago… I FOUGHT with everything I had to BF him….I cried, I searched the internet, I prayed, I talked to friends, lactation consultants and finally gave up and have been EP’ing [exclusively pumping] since 4 1/2 months… your article popped up in my feed this am and I clicked on it thinking it would tell me that I needed to pump more and eat this and eat that blah blah blah… MY SON IS LIP TIED!!!! and NOONE caught it!!! (%&#(&#$(&%(%$ is all I have to say right now… the guilt I felt was killing me… I am sure when I wake up tomorrow I will be relieved beyond words that it wasn’t about me as a mother or my milk supply… (emphasis mine)

Let’s get started, shall we?

Step One: Make An Informal Diagnosis

For lip ties, look for a band of tissue that connects the gums to the lip. The photos below depict ties of varying degrees, with the least severe on the left and most severe on the right. Though many complications can arise, the main ones that result from lip ties are:

• Gapped teeth that need to be corrected with braces
• Tooth decay on the top four teeth because food/milk residue gets caught up there
• Nursing problems because the lip cannot flange out to get proper suction.

Feeling a little overwhelmed? Take a deep breath and . . . . EXHALE. Now, I have good news for you: Early intervention resolves all of these problems and it’s easy to make an informal diagnosis for your baby with this pictorial guide. If you think there might be an issue check out my lip tie Q&A for more photos and answers to commonly asked questions.

Diagnosing tongue-ties can be a bit more tricky. Sometimes the tie is obvious, like when the membrane is visible or the tongue makes a cupped/heart shape when lifted (this happens because the center of the tongue is anchored by the tie, so the only parts free to move are the sides). Other times, like in the bottom right photo, the tie is hiding underneath the mouth floor.

Ready to check your baby for a tie? Great! Here is a step-by-step exam guide from lactation consultant Catherine Genna. And here’s a video in which Dr. Kotlow (considered the foremost expert in the U.S. on tongue/lip ties) demonstrates how to get a sneaky posterior tie to reveal itself:

Breastfeeding a Tongue-Tied Baby – If for whatever reason neither procedures are available here are some tips on breastfeeding a tongue-tied baby

Well, That’s It

If you have questions, insights or doctor recommendations please share them in the comments!

More breastfeeding support:

Mellanie Sheppard, For Babies Sake (Dallas/Fort Worth)

Kathy O’Brien, 4 Hearts Services (Dallas/Fort Worth)

Read Par1 1: Why Our Mothers Shouldn’t Have Listened To Theirs

Photo credit: Lamour Michelle Photography

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• Lip Tie Q&A
• Why Our Mothers Shouldn’t Have Listened To Theirs
• Tongue Tied
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Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.

~ Dr. Benjamin Spock

I don’t know about you, but I think this quote is a tad more compelling than a 1950′s era Similac Ash tray touting the disease preventing capabilities of formula. But maybe you had to be there.

Indeed, if you were you’d know that the Golden Age considered breastfeeding a “vulgar” act for those poor “disadvantaged people.” Something that mothers told their daughters is “just not done, dear” . . . or worse, something that could be harmful!

“[Mothers] should be told that the child will not be deprived, that in fact, artificial feeding is better for the infant . . . Considering the hazards [of breastfeeding], it might be well that no mother nursed her child.”

~ Dr. Rheingold, The Fear of Being a Woman (1964)

Add in hospital policies that routinely sabatoged mothers in their breastfeeding efforts (by insisting on LONG separation at night in which baby was not allowed to help build mama’s milk supply by nursing) – and does it even surprise you that breastfeeding rates were a dismal twenty-percent?

Me neither.

This is not meant to criticize or lay blame. The women of the 50s, 60s and 70s were lied to on so many fronts. In fact, OUR “experts” now say THEIR “experts” triggered the obesity epidemic by advising women that it was perfectly safe to smoke during pregnancy, perfectly healthy to try to “keep one’s figure” while growing a child in one’s belly, and nutritionally superior to formula feed.¹ I’d say there’s more to it than that, but it sure didn’t help!

You Know Who Else It Didn’t Help? YOU.

And your sister. And your best friend. Plus anyone else you know and love who might get all gooey-eyed and make babies someday. This affected all of us, but not in the way you might think. I’m not talking about the general societal horror of breastfeeding (though there is that!), I’m talking about tangible suffering: Guilt over “not making enough milk,” frustration with our “high needs” and/or colicky children, adrenal burnout and more.

In many cases the reason for these conditions could be easily corrected, but isn’t. Why? Because in just one generation we lost our communal wisdom about how to breastfeed and what to do when problems arise.

What problems?!?!? Women were made to breastfeed!!! Lately there have been some convos in which the Weston A. Price Foundation was accused of being “anti-breastfeeding.” While it’s true that they passionately advocate their homemade formula over industrial versions (which often contain hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and even traces of a chemical found in rocket fuel) – most people don’t seem to find this to be the problematic part. The sensitivity seems to lie in what is perceived as a bias against our faith in ourselves and our bodies. My hope in writing this series it to affirm that:

• Throughout history, there have ALWAYS been women who were unable to breastfeed. Under those circumstances other mothers (wet nurses) stepped in and literally saved lives.
• Many women today have breastfeeding difficulties that could be resolved by recovering one simple piece of wisdom. We should do everything we can to bring awareness to this fact and support mamas that desperately want to breastfeed.

My Story

Micah was nearly five months old when I washed all his new clothes - tags and hangers still on. Sounds like normal “life with a newborn” stuff, eh? Burned dinners and forgotten laundry and all that.

I thought so until the night I nearly let his little frame crash to the floor during a bleary-eyed 4am feeding. The next morning I sent out an email for help, and a couple days later Mellanie of For Babies Sake knocked on my door. Three seconds into his exam she announced the problem.

“He’s definitely tongue-tied.”

He’s definitely WHAT?!?!? I had already nursed a child for three years by this point, so I hope you’ll excuse my disbelief in realizing that I hadn’t noticed my son’s tongue was tied to the floor of his mouth. She was right, though, and somewhere inside I knew it. Unlike most babies, Micah woke more often to nurse as he grew older – by five months it was every 1-2 hours around the clock. His tongue-tie prevented him from fully draining my breast at a feeding, so as his nutritional needs grew he compensated by nursing more often. (He turned out to be lip-tied, too, which made the problem even worse)

Why Am I Telling You This?

Your story is most likely very different, but if you have ever had problems with low-milk supply, colic, reflux or painful nursing, read on. What our great-grandmothers knew – and what I discovered the hard way – is that tongue and lip ties are common and every child should be checked at birth.

If you’re how we lost the wisdom of our great-grandmothers, it’s simple. Synthetic nipples are easier than breasts for tongue-tied babies to manage, so with the rise of bottle-feeding tongue-tie issues virtually disappeared. Now that breastfeeding is back, we need to reinfuse our culture with awareness about these condition to prevent doctors and parents from miscategorizing common tie-related complications (such as the ones below) under other diagnoses.

• Low milk supply (depending on the severity of the tie a baby may not be able to stimulate milk production through vigorous nursing)
• Painful nursing
• Early weaning because child gets frustrated at the breast
• Tooth Decay – Improper tongue mobility may prevent babies from clearing milk from their mouth, causing decay (especially on the top front teeth)
• Colic, gassiness (inability to maintain suction at the breast means baby swallows a lot of extra air)
• Reflux
• Sleep apnea
• Abnormal sleep patterns (waking often to feed because they are unable to fully drain the breast and therefore always hungry)
• Speech difficulties
• Gap between teeth/jaw issues – tight tissues can prevent normal development

Am I saying that every instance of one of these diagnoses is tongue-tie related. Definitely not. There are legitimate circumstances in which something else is the cause, but ties are easy to check for so why not rule them out?

Think Your Baby May Have a Tongue or Lip Tied?

Breastfeeding is the best diagnostic tool for assessing lip and tongue ties. If something doesn’t feel right to you, chances are it isn’t. Here’s what to look for:

Baby’s Symptoms

(Micah had all of these except poor weight gain. We never tried a paci or bottle)

• Difficulty latching on or falls off the breast easily
• Gumming our chewing the nipple while nursing
• Unable to hold a paci or bottle
• Gassy
• Poor weight gain
• Excessive drooling
• Baby is not able to fully drain breast

Mama’s Symptoms

(I had none of these except discomfort)

• Creased/flat/blanched nipple after feedings
• Cracked/blistered/bleeding nipples
• Discomfort while nursing
• Plugged ducts
• Thrush/mastitis

If the majority of these symptoms apply to you and/or your baby, chances are very likely that your little one is tongue or lip tied.  If only a few apply there could still be an issue. Want to know for sure? Tomorrow I’ll show you how to make an at-home diagnosis, get a consult with the leading expert in the U.S. for FREE, and seek out treatment options.

You never know who might be struggling privately with one of these issues – why not help get the word out and share this post?

Read Part 2: How To Spot Tongue/Lip Ties & Get FREE Expert Advice

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So, I Have This Friend . . .

Who had to take her 15 month-old hunk of chubby goodness – also known as Myles – in for blood tests. Explaining needles was not all that effective so there was, um, struggling. And crying. And a frantic search for the breast – which of course my friend lovingly offered.

“Mama, I’m too old for that.”

Now I know what you’re thinking, smart kid to be talking in complete sentences at fifteen months! And even smarter to overcome his instinct for comfort better than most adults and be a “big boy,” right? Um, nope.

Those words came from the ventriloquist in the corner – the tech holding a crimson vial of Myles’ blood. Apparently, the “he’s too old for it if he can ask” was too liberal . . . she’d made it her mission to be an “advocate” for pre-verbal infants everywhere who are, ahem, too old to nurse but too young to say so. Hmmm.

That’s why – drumroll – I’m so excited to be nursing a toddler again!!! Okay, he’s more like a wobbler at this point, but still I’m pretty excited. Why, you ask?

Reason #1: Other Parents Ask The Most… Interesting Questions!

Like, don’t I know that I’ll make my child gay, or uber-clingy, overly aware of “sexuality” or maybe just plain embarrassed? Apparently, I do not. But I do know two more fantastic reasons to breastfeed into the second year of life and beyond!

Reason #2: Quotes For The Baby Book

Too old if they can ask for it? No way . . . that’s just when it gets funny! Children use a variety of ways to ask for milk  – everything from Cream & Sugar to “Quiero Lechita.” Or, they can say nothing at all! “My daughter just makes this really surprised face with her mouth in an O, it’s pretty funny, oh or she just starts digging around in my shirt!” said M, who designed the adorable barrette in this post.

Reason #3:Fewer Medical Interventions (Really)

The Great Potamus Pukefest of 2009 was full of chunky barf. And foamy barf. And, wait, you probably don’t want me to go there. Let’s just say Katie was tossing A LOT of proverbial cookies.

How she found the means to puke I’ll never know, because the girl refused to sip water or eat so much as a cracker for over 24 hours. This, friends, is when nursing a toddler is so much more than a parlor trick, or a hippie choice, or something “those moms” do. It’s one of those things that can truly be called a lifesaver in many parts of the world.

The World Health Organization says that “a modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10% of all deaths of children under five: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness¹A lifesaver? Seriously? Oh yes! Here we have interventions. We have doctors and needles and IV’s. But what do people in other parts of the world have? They have the boob. Breastmilk is incredibly soothing to the digestive tract. When a child is ill it can be even safer than water that could contain pathogens (milk can contain pathogens, too, but it will also contain the antibodies to fight them).

And most importantly, it prevents mild dehydration from escalating into something more serious (like shock, seizures or losing consciousness). Actually, that’s wrong. The MOST important thing is that it is often accepted when everything else fails.

So while the local ER was blessed with the sweet faces of  dehydrated little ones who could not be coaxed with a sippy cup, the Potamus house went low tech. I nursed. And I nursed. And then, I nursed some more.

My body delivered homespun antibiotics specifically made for the virus that was raging through Katie’s body, combined with a generous helping of nourishment and comfort. Thanks to breastfeeding, my toddler’s sickness was over in a snap. No drama. No tears. Just cuddles while I gorged myself with cheese to help me keep up my supply.

So There You Have It!

Three random reasons to breastfeed into the second year of life and beyond. And of course there’s that stuff about how milk changes over the course of nursing to meet the needs of a developing child (milk from women who have been nursing longer than one year has a substantially higher fat content – which is exactly what they need).

Also, a study done by the Pediatric Clinics of North America estimates that in the second year of life (12-23 months), 448ml of breast milk provides:

• 29% of energy requirements
• 43% of protein requirements
• 36% of calcium requirements
• 75% of vitamin A requirements
• 76% of folate requirements
• 94% of vitamin B12 requirements
• 60% of vitamin C requirements²

That’s why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for AT LEAST a year and “beyond for as long as mutually desired, the World Health Organization “emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond.” Yada yada yada.

Okay, enough from me! What do YOU think about the increasing number of moms who are breastfeeding into the second year and beyond?

Note: This photo of Micah and I was taken by Mae Burke Photography <3

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Petri Dish Tested, Mother Nature Approved

The first week of October is World Breastfeeding Week in Canada. All across the country people will be celebrating all that breastfeeeding offers to babies, mothers, families, communities, and our planet. What Mother Nature has always known – that breast is best – we now know from the enormous amount of research that is being conducted world wide. As we learn more about breast milk and breastfeeding we continue to be astounded about this amazing food that nature has designed for our babies.

Breast milk is the perfect food for babies, providing every nutrient they need for the first six months of life. Breast milk also provides living immunities to babies thereby preventing a wide range of illnesses and health problems.

Most moms want to provide their babies with the very best nutrition, but sometimes breastfeeding can be challenging. Although it is “natural” it is not instinctive. Both mothers and babies need to learn to breastfeed.

A Quick History

Up until the middle of the 20th century everyone breastfed, and girls learned all about it long before they became mothers. If they had breastfeeding challenges there were always lots of women who knew what to do. With the aggressive marketing of formula starting in the 40’s, we became, very quickly, a bottle feeding culture, and the breastfeeding wisdom of timeless generations was lost. Since then, mothers learn to breast feed in relative isolation, and, depending on where they live, when they have problems there may be few resources to turn to.

The reality is that mothers need support when they are breastfeeding. Sometimes they just need some solid information and good technical know-how to help them solve their difficulties. Most moms, whether they are having specific problems or not, just need a good dose of encouragement, appreciation, love and acknowledgement (plus a few meals in the freezer!).

Which Brings Us To . . .

The research is very clear that the biggest determining factor in moms’ breastfeeding experience is the whole hearted support of their partners, their families,  and their friends. YOU can be a breast feeding mom’s biggest booster by providing encouragement, praise, love and acknowledgment for all she is doing for her baby. If she is having problems, encourage her to get help, support her in any success she has, whether she is feeding full time at the breast, or pumping, or needing to supplement.

We are all committed to providing the very best nutrition we can for babies. If we “nourish” breastfeeding moms, they will in turn nourish their babies.

So think of yourself as an advocate for healthy, well nourished babies. Smile at moms when you see them nursing their babies and give a hug to every breastfeeding mom you know!. And if you are a breastfeeding mom,  give yourself a big hug, and a nice, relaxing, hot bath!

Happy Breastfeeding Week!

Some breastfeeding resources:

La Leche League Canada  http://www.lllc.ca/

La Leche League International: http://www.llli.org/

Kellymom: http://www.kellymom.com/

Dr. Jack Newman’s website: http://www.drjacknewman.com/

There are many breastfeeding websites, many of which offer confusing and inaccurate, poorly researched information. The above websites are trustworthy. Be sure to utilize the personal help of your local La Leche League, Lactation Consultants, Public Health Nurses, Breastfeeding clinics,  midwives and breastfeeding supportive physicians.

Photo credit: clogsilk

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• 3 Reasons I Love Breastfeeding My Toddler
• How To Spot Tongue/Lip Ties & Get FREE Expert Advice

I do. Let’s just say there was a lot of blushing going on as parents ushered their children toward other exhibits. But oh,  the reaction was nothing compared to the outrage over by the monkey exhibit. “Oh my goodness, that monkey is nursing! Somebody put a shirt on that monkey. Gross!” squawked a woman with two tiny children in tow.

Put a shirt on that . . . monkey? Seriously, has it really come to this?

Our culture is great at supporting breastfeeding via slogans like breast is best and I make Milk – What’s Your Superpower? But when it comes to a mama feeding her child in a restaurant, or downtown, or {insert your favorite place here}, people often seem weirded out by the whole thing. In order for breastfeeding to be seen as normal, it has to be seen.

That’s where my friend Mae over at Mae Burke Photography comes in.  She recently began offering In Mama’s Arms sessions that feature, ahem, breastfeeding photos. Her portraits are drawing attention from all over the world, but today we’ve got her all to ourselves for a nice, cozy interview.

Mommypotamus: Hey Mae! I’ve got a question for ya. In the Age of Hooter Hiders, how did you get the idea to take BREASTFEEDING photos? I mean, what did moms say when you told them “That very intimate thing you are doing there? I’d like to point my camera right at you and shoot”?

Mae: Well, in the age of bootie shorts and shirts more revealing than any lingerie I own, I’ve become increasingly more and more irritated with the general public’s image of breastfeeding. I’ve heard everything from it’s only for “trailer trash women who are too poor for formula” to “women who don’t respect their husbands.”

I could go on to why I think this is, but I had an idea as to how to change their mind. I originally came up with this vision of two very good friends of mine, sitting back to back, nursing their new babies. They were gorgeous, their babies were gorgeous, and their pictures were gorgeous.

They were anything but trashy or inappropriate.

I thought about what this could mean for other moms who are on the fence about nursing in public. What kind of impact, if any, could be had if women were to see pictures of other women nursing comfortably, beautifully in public.

I think other women got this, and they wanted to be a part of it too . . .

I also found that while I personally was at peace that I ended my nursing relationship with my oldest, Lily, I missed it. While one or two [or three] years of nursing seems like a long time while you’re in it, it really is such a short amount of time that I and many women want to remember.

Mommypotamus: Wow, I feel kind of shallow now because you have this grand purpose and all I wanted was to capture the way Micah locks eyes with me when he’s nursing. I asked Daniel to take pics of me nursing Katie for the same reason, but they are ANYTHING but discreet or artistic (sorry babe). How do you make this an intimate moment worth sharing . . . without oversharing?

Mae: Oh, I’ve told my husband where to stand, set up the camera and fixed all the settings to my liking only to receive my camera back and say “…thaaaaaanks babe….No, really, it’s fine.” So I completely understand where you’re coming from!

The first question I ask my clients when they come to me wanting these pictures is “Where are you most comfortable nursing?” and we go from there.

When we decide on and arrive at a location, I first make sure that mom and baby are comfortable before I start in with “Pull your shirt down/up/over here,” “Tuck her tag in on her dress,” and [my personal favorite] “Peaceful, not pissed.“

Personally, the one thing I learned from being in front of the camera is that my “I don’t have a care in the world” expression leaves me with a face that says less of “Look how peacefully my baby is chugging along” and more of a “if that’s poop in her diaper I’m smelling…“

So with mom and baby comfortable, I click away. There is a lot of conversation before the shoot so I have an idea of what the client wants beforehand.

I’m not so much looking to capture the anatomy of breastfeeding, but the emotion. So while yes there are boobs, and some stunning women, I want the picture to be about the moment. Le Leche League can cover all of the specifics.

Mommypotamus: “Stop making that constipated expression!” is the thing I hear most often when Daddypotamus is holding the camera, so I need some pointers on looking natural. For me, one thing that gets in the way of feeling comfortable is clothing. I always feel like I wore the wrong thing and that 20 years from now I am going to look at this pic and laugh at myself. Any tips for creating a look that feels natural and beautiful?

Mae: I would not say that I am the most fashionable person in the world…or even my apartment complex, but I think I have a good eye!

I actually just recently emptied my closet of all of my clothes that were older than a year that I don’t wear and was shocked to find that 90% of them were from high school and that it only left me with about 6 outfits! HA! I scour the online look-books of the interwebs to find clothes that are comfortable to nurse in, affordable so that you can have something new and pretty that you can wear all the time, and that are beautiful.

Tandem Nursing Mama

Every now and then I put together Inspiration Boards on my facebook page to give my moms a fresh perspective on color pallets and fashion that is hip but timeless.

I encourage moms to send me a pic of what they plan on wearing if they are unsure so I can give them my honest opinion ahead of time. This also allows us to use the entire session for nursing instead of “Oh I brought this and this and this outfit” and trying to fit something together on the spot.

Post baby body is a very hard thing for many women to deal with. Many times your body looks nothing like it did prepregnancy, but instead of hiding it and bringing out women’s insecurities, I want to celebrate it’s ability to sustain a beautiful baby!!

Where can we find more of your work?

I’m very excited to announce my new website, Mae Burke Photography. It’s been a labor of love ;] To stay up to date with current shoots, specials, and updates about my family’s latest antics, please fan my Facebook Page

Mommypotamus Here . . .

As ya’ll know, I’ve been a breastfeeding mama for 43 months straight now. Nursing Katie was as simple as breathing, but Micah? He’s a different story. Two minor surgeries and many months later we’re still going strong, and what better way to celebrate than to end this interview than with a session of my very own.

Thank you, Mae. For your work, this interview, and most of all . . . that photo. <3

Did This Inspire You? Pass It On!

“Some breastfeeding moms stop nursing earlier than they might because they feel chained to their homes and are NOT confident nursing their child in public,” says Kathy O’Brien of The NIN Project (Nursing IS Normal).

Simply sharing galleries like In Mama’s Arms and The NIN Project with friends and family can go a long way to help mamas feel comfortable nursing in public. So if you’re looking for a good deed for the day share, share, share away!!

Of course, you could run out the door right now and find somewhere very public to breastfeed, I was just trying to make it easier in case you’re still in your PJ’s.

Beautiful or Bawdy? What did YOU think of the photos?

Similar Posts:

• Hug A Breastfeeding Mom!
• Every Mamas Challenge: Overcoming Disappointment
• Mommy-Led Child-Accepted Weaning
• Extended Breastfeeding Myth #4: A Boys Sexuality
• Extended Breastfeeding Myth #2

My Men: 30 Minutes Post-Op

Micah is happily giving Sophie the Giraffe a tour of our hotel room floor as I type this. Just now he stopped by to pull up on my leg and give me a grin, and I can’t help but wonder . . . did he REALLY have surgery just an hour ago???

When they took him away, I felt sick and panicky. I couldn’t go with him. I couldn’t do anything but pray. But in a flash he was back in my arms. There was almost no blood and he was happy and calm within two minutes. It was absolutely incredible. And the nursing?? AHhhh! Dr. Kotlow did an amazing job with his lip tie and also went a little deeper with his tongue tie, and his latch feels PERFECT and COMFORTABLE for the first time. My heart is bursting!!

Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. Now we’re off to explore Albany.

 Similar Posts:

• Tongue Tied
• Lip Tie Q&A
• How To Spot Tongue/Lip Ties & Get FREE Expert Advice
• The Mystical Side of Mommyhood
• Breastfed Baby, Stick Around For the Show ~ An Interview With Lactivist Mae Burke

I don't draw on my kids. That "pen mark" between his baby blues is a vein. Just sayin'

Have in common with this little lady . . .

And this little dude?

They all have lip ties, of course. As we fly out this morning for Micah’s surgery I am thinking of these two sweet babes and others whose mama’s I have chatted with in the past few weeks. So many of you identified maxillary ties in your children after reading last weeks post . . . and sent me pics to prove it! Word is getting out, yet few lactation consultants, pediatricians or pediatric dentists know about it.

How is that possible? Are we all just jumping onto a fad diagnosis? I don’t think so. More mothers are breastfeeding today than the past few decades, so it makes sense that we are more likely to notice when something is “off” with a baby’s latch. Second, there is

research that shows when moms use cocaine there is a higher incidence of tongue tie in their babies.  After Mellanie mentioned this research to me the other night, when I quote it to moms they get the weirdest look on their faces.  ”I’ve never used cocaine!” some will quickly blurt out, to which I chuckle.  I’m not accusing you of wild behavior, but this study brings up some interesting points too.  If one researched chemical (cocaine) can cause this abnormality, what other chemicals- that no one has yet researched- might do the same?  Furthermore, one of the most prescribed drugs in our society are stimulants to treat conditions like ADD and ADHD.  Cocaine is a stimulant, and these prescribed stimulant drugs many times work on the same areas of the brain and cause some of the same side effects.  Countless studies have shown that many drugs- and several different types- have been found in our water supply.  Are we seeing increase in abnormalities due to all of this?  In my opinion, possibly so.

Ankyloglossia, So Common?!?!

If you suspect your child might be tied and are struggling with questions, I hope this info will clarify some things for you. And if you have a friend that is having trouble breastfeeding, please pass this info along!

Q: What are the symptoms and complications associated with a maxillary (lip) tie?

A: Baby’s Symptoms (Micah had all of these except poor weight gain. We never tried a paci or bottle)

• Difficulty latching on or falls off the breast easily
• Gumming our chewing the nipple while nursing
• Unable to hold a paci or bottle
• Gassy (babies with ties often swallow a lot of air because they cannot maintain suction properly)
• Poor weight gain
• Excessive drooling
• Baby is not able to fully drain breast

Mama’s Symptom (I had none of these except discomfort)

• Creased/flat/blanched nipple after feedings
• Cracked/blistered/bleeding nipples
• Discomfort while nursing
• Plugged ducts
• Thrush/mastitis

Complications of Tongue and Lip Ties

• Babies may not be able to stimulate milk production through vigorous nursing, leading to low milk supply
• Painful nursing/early weaning because child gets too frustrated
• Improper tongue mobility may prevent babies from clearing milk from their mouth, causing tooth decay (especially in the front teeth)
• Colic
• Reflux
• sleep apnea
• abnormal sleep patterns (Micah woke every two hours to feed at five months old because he was hugry ALL the time)
• Speech difficulties
• Gap between teeth/jaw issues

Q: How do I know if my baby has one?

A: Here is an excellent pictorial guide with the information needed to make an informal diagnosis.

Q:My husband’s little brother was tongue-tied. They were told in the hospital that the operation was going to be a big deal – expensive, scary, I don’t know what all. But the family lives kind of in the boonies, and there’s a country doctor down the road, and they took the baby to him (for a second opinion?) and he said, “Oh yeah. That’s easy.” And snipped it right then and there. Gabe’s been fine ever since, and now that relieving anticlimax is a family story. Of course, I’m telling this vaguely and third-hand, so I’d love to get the details on how it went for you and Micah.

A: A frenulectomy is a relatively simple procedure for newborns because the nerve endings haven’t fully formed and they’re easy to hold still. Because he was older, Micah had to endure more discomfort, bled more and was more difficult to keep still (putting a five month old under anesthesia has risks and costs about $3-5K. Daniel had just changed jobs and wasn’t eligible for insurance yet. The surgery couldn’t wait, so we had to keep him awake and swaddled through the procedure).

Maxillary ties are more difficult. They can’t be snipped because it will just create scar tissue that is thicker and tougher than the original tie. Scissors and scalpels cannot usually go deep enough into the tissue to correct the problem. However, a laser can be used, which has the side benefit of increased healing time and minimal scar tissue. Unfortunately, few doctors have laser instruments, which is we we are going to New York to have it done.

Q: Is it ever okay to wait and see if they outgrow it? Or is it something that I need to have taken care of ASAP?

Dr. Kotlow, who is one of the most respected authorities on the subject, doesn’t advocate the “wait and see” approach. According to this article, he says “individuals who state most abnormal frenum attachments will resolve or go away by themselves are incorrect. The result is continued pain for moms and eventually infants giving up nursing. These frenum attachments may contribute to breastfeeding problems and should be evaluated for revision along with the lingual frenum revision for breastfeeding problems.”

I think my child has a lip tie. What now?

Come hear board certified pediatric dentist Dr. Lawrence Kotlow speak on Saturday, May 14th from 9am-12pm in North Richland Hills. Tongue-ties and lip-ties will both be discussed and Dr. Kotlow will be giving informal consultations following the presentation, so bring your baby! Pre-Registration is required. Cal 817-428-9595 If it were me, I would email Dr. Kotlow a pic of my child’s mouth. He’s agreed to do a phone consult for many concerned parents, and he can talk you through options. If surgery is necessary there are only a couple places I know of to get it done. One is Dr. Kotlow’s office in Albany, New York. The other is Dr. Cole’s in Fort Worth, Texas.

Why are we going all the way to New York when Dr. Cole is in our own backyard? Good question.

When we found Micah’s tongue tie we were told he’d have to be sedated to have it clipped. The surgery, when performed on babies, is quick and easy. But as babies get older and stronger, they can move at the wrong time and healthy tissue could be damaged in the process. Fortunately, Dr. Biavotti, a Dallas ear/nose/throat specialist, agreed to do procedure without general anesthesia (he did a fabulous job, btw!).

Dr. Cole is one of the most respected holistic dentists in the nation. However, because he only recently began doing the procedure we felt that the best scenario would be to put Micah under to ensure a good outcome. But due to the risks of anesthesia we opted to go to Dr. Kotlow, who has lots of experience with wriggly babies and can perform the procedure with only a local anesthetic. On the flipside, we feel Dr. Cole is the best person to correct Katie’s maxillary tie (which we just discovered and believe is part of the cause of her tooth problems).

As more lactation consultants, pediatricians and pediatric dentist become aware of this problem the options will increase, but these are what I know of right now.

Okay, I think it time to board our flight. Have a great morning!

 Similar Posts:

• How To Spot Tongue/Lip Ties & Get FREE Expert Advice
• Micah’s First Perfect Latch
• Tongue Tied
• Why Our Mothers Shouldn’t Have Listened To Theirs
• The Mystical Side of Mommyhood