Breast Milk Bust in Haiti?

MSNBC is reporting that there is no need for breast milk in Haiti.  Not only that, but it’s not wanted:

“The international Emergency Nutrition Network has asked one group, the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, to retract a press release this week that issued an “urgent call” for breast milk for orphaned and premature infants in Haiti, saying the donations contradict best practices for babies in emergencies.” (emphasis added)

The real kicker is that this is a totally inaccurate statement. Breast milk, even when it comes from another mother, is preferable, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), when it comes to infant nutrition.  Formula requires clean water, something sorely lacking in a disaster.  You can’t even turn on the radio without hearing how it is hard for people to get drinking water.  The ramifications of using formula in this instance is of great public health concern.

Emergencies and breastfeeding was the recent subject of the World Breastfeeding Week Campaign last August.  It prompted the WHO to put out documents discussing the benefits of breast milk in such crises as they are facing in Haiti.

Loyally Devoted to Doctor

I recently read the book The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N Aron, Ph.D. In the chapter called Medics, Medication, and Highly Sensitive People, the author states:

“Keep in mind, too, that it is common to feel an attachment to anyone you have been with during an arousing experience, especially if it was a truly painful or emotionally significant ordeal. In the medical realm you hear these sorts of extra feelings when people describe their surgeon or women talk about the person who delivered their child, which is perfectly normal. The solution is simply to know why it happens and compensate for it appropriately.”

In the chapter about relationships, she talks about studies that were done that showed people are far more likely to fall in love under stressful circumstances. She applied this phenomenon to attachment in all relationships, not just romantic relationships. Later when I read the above statement in the medical chapter, so many things started to make sense to me.

Why do women love their maternity care provider, even when they may have done unnecessary procedures on them and not allowed them to make their own choices? Why do many providers use scare tactics? Why do women hold so adamantly to the belief that their provider “saved their life” or “saved their baby” or “was a great doctor” or “really took good care of me”, even when evidence to the contrary is right in front of them? Why do they fail to make important connections, such as that their c-section may have been one of the many unnecessary ones, or that there may not have been a true evidence based need for their induction? Why is childbirth treated like a major emergency with so much fear and anxiety around it? Why aren’t all women who give birth in this system severely traumatized from it, and instead defend and adore their doctors? The answer is simple: the culture of fear that surrounds childbirth actually endears women to their doctors. It cements the relationship between women, their doctors, and the hospitals their doctors practice at. It ensures that the women will keep coming back, and will recommend their providers to all their friends as they speak about them in glowing heroic terms. It is quite brilliant really, providers and hospitals have found the key to running a very successful business, and it has nothing to do with allowing women to make their own choices. They simply have to give the illusion prenatally that the woman can make her own choices for her birth, and then make sure that the actual experience of birth is one filled with fear, anxiety, and of course a healthy baby, and then the narcissistic provider will come out looking like roses to the woman who must endure the “horrors of childbirth”.

Of course, I am not really giving the doctors the benefit of the doubt here. They likely don’t know on a conscious level what they are really doing. They have been trained to act this way, by people who were also trained to act this way, and it is reinforced for them every time a woman profusely thanks her doctor for a job well done, and every time a woman tells her birth horror story where the good doctor makes an appearance as the hero who delivers her baby to her despite all the dangers that presented at the last minute. Both the woman and the doctor seem ignorant of the psychological effects that framing every average birth as a medical emergency creates.

In the statement above, the author states: “it is common to feel an attachment to anyone you have been with during an arousing experience, especially if it was a truly painful or emotionally significant ordeal.” This describes childbirth perfectly. The word “arousing” here is referring to sensory levels. That can mean physically, emotionally, sexually, or any other assault to the senses, good or bad, that can be had. We know childbirth can be described as “arousing” in many ways. It is also inherently “painful” and “emotionally significant”. Even when women use drugs, there is still some level of pain before she took them, and depending on what type of drugs she took, she may still experience pain while she is taking them. So really, all births fit this criteria. Births in a hospital, or at home, or in a birth center all have these same basic elements. It seems women are wired to form an attachment to the people who were with her and helped her through the event. This could be her partner, her doula, her midwife, her doctor, her nurse, or her friend or relative. I think this type of attachment likely had an evolutionary purpose at one time. It would be ideal to attach to an older, wiser woman who assisted with the delivery of babies who would have been there to care for the mom postpartum, and to slowly help her to bond and form an attachment to the baby. This wise woman would then help the mother learn to breastfeed and care for her new infant, while slowly pulling back her own attentions from the situation. This is what we have in homebirth midwives today. How would our ancestors have fared if a man had shown up in the tribe to deliver a baby, and then disappeared immediately afterward? The woman would be left adoring him, yet not having help from him to form an attachment to her infant. Never learning how to breastfeed or other infant care skills. What would have become of humanity? What is becoming of humanity?

Midwives and doulas seem to understand this phenomenon. Doulas usually visit a woman once or twice postpartum and are available if she needs to talk or has questions about the baby, breastfeeding, or the birth. Midwives start seeing a woman more and more as the birth approaches, and then once the baby is born, they start to taper off again, seeing her less and less until she is no longer needed at all. This is a much more natural and appropriate response to caring for a woman during such a pivotal transition in her life. What happens when women see doctors or CNM’s in hospitals though? They are likely seeing a practice, not a specific provider. They will likely not give birth with the same doctor or CNM they saw prenatally. They may never see the same doctor or CNM again after they give birth, or perhaps just once at the six week checkup. How does this affect women emotionally, or in her relationship with her baby, when instead of having a slow winding away from her provider, there is just an abrupt ending to the relationship? Does this interfere with breastfeeding, or affect feelings of trauma related to the birth, or feelings of depression related to her new role as mother? It is ingrained in our psyche to attach to these people who help us through such a major event in our life. How will the people we choose handle this responsibility? Are we choosing someone who will corrupt our experience and force an unnatural attachment to them by creating more anxiety around the experience? Are we choosing someone who will be there for us days, weeks, and months later to answer our questions about the baby or to offer us emotional support? Will the person we choose even be available for the birth, and will we ever see them again afterward?

Now I realize why other women feel the way they do about their provider. I did not attach to my provider, I was instead extremely traumatized by her actions. I still wonder why some women are traumatized, and others fall in love with their providers, given the same set of circumstances. I wonder if it is actually more natural, and thus common, to attach to a provider even when (or perhaps especially when) that provider creates an atmosphere of fear. It makes sense then why so few of us are speaking up about the system and the way women are treated. It makes sense that women are extremely loyal to their providers, even when many aspects of their births were disappointing or upsetting to them. It makes sense that many women are reluctant to accept that there is anything wrong with maternity care. It makes sense why the maternity care system is so hard to change and is met with so much resistance from every side.

What can birth activists do to help women form healthy attachments during this transitional time in her life? It may be tempting to try to convince all women to have a homebirth with a midwife since we know that they are probably the best option for healthy attachments and a healthy weaning away as well, however, if a woman has already formed a strong attachment to a certain provider, it may be more realistic to recommend having a doula. A doula will be there prenatally, for the birth, and postpartum, and therefore can provide much of the physical and emotional support that new moms need and deserve. Some moms may hire a doula, yet keep her same provider that she has formed an attachment to, and others may find that a doula is a stepping stone to having a homebirth the next time. One day I hope that maternity care shifts to being centered around the mother again, and not around the provider and his schedule or routine.

Best for Babes

If you haven’t yet seen the Best for Babes ad campaign you’re in for a treat.  And now you can use some of their ads on your website to help promote breastfeeding and help prevent the “bobby traps” women face in breastfeeding.

Tell Zales How You Feel About Breastfeeding & Diamonds

I rarely see commercials anymore thanks to my DVR.  But the other night I caught the standard sappy, Holiday fair from Zales Diamonds.  I was outraged within seconds when it showed a mom leaning over an empty crib while dad bottle fed a baby in the background.  I mean come on, wouldn’t it be better to give mom a diamond for breastfeeding?  Or even as a push present?  But this was just sad.  If you’re as outraged as I am, you can write them online or call them at: 1-800-311-JEWEL

Healthy Baby Bounty Bag

Photo (c) Lansinoh

Have you seen these cool bags from Cottonwood Kids? They are the alternatives for other breastfeeding discharge bags - but breastfeeding friendly. Now you can be your own activist and send a letter ask for your hospital to carry them! So download your sample letter now!

Formula Fed America

Formula is a $4 billion dollar industry.? And we wonder why we have such “trouble” with breastfeeding? The United States has one of the worst breastfeeding records out of all the countries.?? This and more are discussed in the new film: Formula Fed America

Keep Mother and Baby Together ? It?s Best for Mother, Baby, and Breastfeeding

You’ve waited nine very long months to greet your baby.? Now the big day is here!? Do you really want to work through labor only to hand your baby off to someone else at the very last minute?? Babies who stay with moms, particularly skin to skin, tend to stay warmer and breastfeed better and longer.? Mom also benefits from the close contact and nursing, including have her uterus contract and minimizing her bleeding.

So unless there is a good medical reason to remove your baby - don’t do it.? Keep your baby rather than hand her over for weight checks, and other routine shots and procedures.

Lamaze Healthy Birth Practice | Mothers Advocate Video | Mothers Advocate Handout

What I Wish I Would Have Known About Breastfeeding

Welcome to the Carnival of Breastfeeding!

What I wished I would have known about breastfeeding was that it was a love story filled with moments of hate.

Nursing was so much more wonderful that the perfunctory feeding of my child that I had anticipated. ?No one I knew could have explained how the hormones would course through my body and make me want to sit and do nothing but stare into the abyss of my child’s eyes or stroke their soft skin for hours on end. ?I hated that people tried to tell me horror stories about breastfeeding, they totally spoiled the lead in to what was a beautiful thing.

I also hated what surrounded breastfeeding. ?For as wonderful and lovely as it felt, there were moments when I hated what happened. ?I hated that I didn’t feel supported. I hated that I felt like I had to justify myself to everyone. ?I hated that I had to leave my hormone ladened life of sitting in a chair and doing nothing but nurse for inconsequential things.

Were there bumps on the road? Yes. ?Was I able to handle them with help? ?Yes. ?Did I love it when that was given lovingly and with support rather than in a begrudging manner? Yes.

So my wise words to you? ?Find someone to support you. ?Even on the days when you’re down. ?It happens. Find that person who will bring you back to reality and remind you of the love that is breastfeeding.

Other Mothers share their wisdom in this months blog carnival:

• • ?What I wish I?d known then about breastfeeding? -Christina at Massachusetts Friends of Midwives
  • What I wish I?d have known then -Whozat at Lucy & Ethel Have a Baby
  • I wish I would have known -Maria at The Starr Family
  • What I wish I?d known then ? My list for next time -Rebekah at Momma?s Angel
  • You don?t have to grin and bear it -Melodie at Breastfeeding Mom Unite
  • What I wish I?d known -Robin at Birth Activist
  • 4 things I wish I?d known -Barbara at Three Girl Pile-up
  • AP Principle #2: What I wish I?d known when I started breastfeeding- Lauren at Hobo Mama
  • When breastfeeding begins badly, and what I should have done about it- Christina at The Milk Mama
  • Wish I?d Heard More Good Things!- at Fancy Pancakes
  • 15 Breastfeeding Facts I Wish I?d Known as a First Time Breastfeeding Mum- at Breastfeeding Mums
  • When Breastfeeding Feels Wrong- Rita at Fighting off Frumpy
  • Nursing Wisdom- Sarah at Cave Mother
  • Trust Yourself And Your Body- at BlissTree
  • Breastfeeding is Life Changing- Elita at Blacktating
  • What I wish I?d Known Then- Claire at Mum Unplugged

Tobacco Companies & Formula Companies

I was listening to the radio today and they were talking about how Canada is going to sue the tobacco companies to help pay for all the health care dollars that smoking related illness has caused.? It’s already been done successfully in the US.? This got me thinking about formula companies and the illnesses caused by the lack of breastfeeding.

Why isn’t anyone barking up that tree?? I know, it’s all the money and the lining of the political pockets.? But it makes me ill.? The Washington Post exposed the fact that lobbyists changed a breastfeeding campaign set to tell the truth but rather we got the diluted version to save their pockets.

Heck if you just look at something simple like ear infections - how many lost work hours and wages and health care money is spent in that realm alone for a non-breastfed baby?? And why do I feel like I’m the only one who is ticked off?

Breast Crawl

Wow, simply wow. ?When I first heard of this concept, I really thought it was amazing, but didn’t see it happening in a hospital near me. ?Thankfully that tide is starting to turn, slowly, but it’s a start. ?Take a look at this amazing video!

(If for some reason, you can’t see the imbedded video, check here: http://breastcrawl.org/video.htm )

It’s amazing that something as simple can help breastfeeding mothers and babies so much. ?Not only will it help with breastfeeding, but it will also help with lowering infant mortality, particularly in third world countries.