The Breast Milk Formula? Tell Mead Johnson what you think…

Mead Johnson had decided to call itself the Breast Milk Formula, but then changed its name, but not the misinformation. Read more at Ban the Bags.

Handling Breastfeeding in Public

Breastfeeding in public is something heavy on my mind. ?I was reading my blogs today and an entry from Elita at The Blacktating Blog came up about nursing in public. ?She talks about how breastfeeding in public helps normalize breastfeeding, how it serves as a reminder to people that not everyone choose formula. ?How true is that statement?

I remember my very first?attempt?at nursing in public, it was in December 1991. ?I was in a shopping mall and I decided to go down one of the wings of the mall that had less traffic and sit on a bench. ?As I sat there discreetly nursing, some teen aged boys walked by and were laughing. ?I can’t tell you now if they were actually laughing and pointing at me, but that’s how my mind wrote the story, and that’s what matters. ?Now, 17 years and 8 babies later, I still think twice about nursing in public, not because I’m shy or because I fear what others think about me, but more because I’m afraid I’m going to mess it up for someone else. ?Will my baby pull my shirt up and expose too much skin for someone’s taste? ?Will I make a mom feel like she can’t nurse because she’s not comfortable nursing in public? ?It’s a heavy weight to bear. ?

It’s the same dilemma I have when I see a nursing mom. ?Part of me wants to run over and give her a high five for normalizing something women have done since the dawn of time. ?But then I stop to think maybe she thinks no one can tell what she’s doing and by going up to her I’d discourage her. Elita pointed out some “Thank you for nursing in public”?cards by Amanda over at Kind Over Matter. ?It’s a great idea! ?What would you do with these cards?

More Healthcare is Not Better Healthcare - well, duh…

I had to snicker when I saw the headlines that proclaimed that more healthcare was not better healthcare. I mean seriously, birth has been proving that time and time again. ?The more medicalized we’ve made birth the higher the cesarean rate has risen, and the higher the infections, NICU admissions, breathing problems in babies, etc. have risen. ?The more we induce labor, particularly before babies are really ready, the more we see a rise in NICU admissions, cesarean section rates rise, etc. ?Do you see the circle we are going in? ?We’re like a silly puppy dog chasing our own tails. ?

I’d like to suggest that we all just back away from the prenatal care. ?Prenatal care that means invasive tests and inductions of labor when not medically indicated, that is… ?Let’s use the interventions that we have as we really need them - sporadically. ?Just because a new fancy procedure is really cool and works really well to help sick mothers and babies, doesn’t mean it’s good for all mothers and babies.

Breastfeeding Promotion Act - Help!

Here is a chance for you to help tell congress to support breastfeeding!

MAMA Campaign

Just a new tidbit for you to watch and help you with your activism:

The Midwives and Mothers in Action (MAMA) Campaign is launched!
The MAMA campaign is a collaborative effort by the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM), Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), Citizens for Midwifery (CfM), International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC), North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), and the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC).
This partnership is now at work to gain federal recognition of Certified Professional Midwives so that women and families will have increased access to quality, affordable maternity care in the settings of their choice. Sign up below to receive news and action alerts. We will be sending out information about the ways that you can take action for CPMs. Please consider endorsing the campaign, making a donation, and sharing your birth story on our site.

Consider checking out the MAMA Campaign.

AMA Seeks to Label “Non-Compliant” Patients

One of the great things about being an informed consumer is that you get to take part in the care you receive. This is why informed consent and informed refusal are so important. Just because one medical professional believes you need XYZ doesn’t mean that it is always right for you. This is especially so in pregnancy and birth. If pregnant women blindly say yes to everything that is offered to them they will find themselves poked, prodded and worried, if not truly physically hurt.?

So when I read this article from ICAN, I couldn’t believe it. My chart would be the first to be labeled Non-Compliant. Just because I want to choose what happens to my body and my baby I am “ungrateful”? I don’t think so. I’m certainly grateful for a doctor who has taken the time to tell me their opinion. That doesn’t mean I have to agree.

New York Times article on YouTube birth videos

Lights, Camera, Contraction!

Informed Consent & Refusal in Maternity Care

Register today for this FREE Webinar!

It?s time to put women back in the driver?s seat when it comes to their maternity care decisions. CIMS? experts have examined how current laws and professional practice guidelines affect patient decision-making in maternity care, and demonstrate in this FREE Webinar how patient access to evidence-based research is particularly important during a time when perinatal mortality and morbidity rates, interventions, and disparities are on the rise in the U.S. Need a continuing education certificate? Processing fees apply.

? Friday, June 19, 2009

? 1:00 pm ? 2:30 pm (Eastern) / 10:00 am ? 11:30 am (Pacific)

? Register online at: www.motherfriendly.org

Participants will learn:

? The legal and ethical responsibilities that health care professionals have to provide informed consent and refusal

? The components of informed consent and refusal and how to implement them fully during their interactions with patients

? The benefits of informed patient decision making and ways to utilize this knowledge to affect policy change within their institutions

Earn 1.33 Nursing Contact Hours! Here?s How:

Continuing education processing fees: $20 CIMS Members / $25 Non-Members. Payments processed through the CIMS Continuing Education Payment Center at: www.motherfriendly.org/webinar.php.

This continuing nursing education activity was approved by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center?s Commission on Accreditation.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 15290, for 1.33 contact hours.