Category Archives: Empower

Booby Traps Series: To normalize breastfeeding, start in the schools.

The back to school season got me thinking:  Where where better to start with the project of normalizing breastfeeding than with kids, who hold the attitudes of the future? Exposure to breastfeeding does change attitudes in kids.   Research has … Continue reading

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Last revised on 08/28/2013

Booby Traps Series: Was breastfeeding in the hospital harder on the night shift? It probably wasn’t your imagination.

Did you feel like nursing at night in the hospital was harder than during the day?  If you did, there are probably some good reasons for that, and they’re not all about your biology. Of course, the mismatch between your … Continue reading

Posted in Blog, Booby Traps, Empower, Main Content, Prepare | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments
Last revised on 08/05/2013

Booby Traps Series: “When are you going to stop doing that?” and others things moms fear hearing from their providers when nursing past infancy.

After overcoming the many barriers to breastfeeding in the early weeks and months of breastfeeding, many women are understandably proud to continue nursing  into toddlerhood and beyond.* But instead of a fist bump and words of encouragement, some moms instead … Continue reading

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Last revised on 07/15/2013

Booby Traps Series: “If we lived on an island where nobody else cared what we did…” How stigma hinders nursing past infancy.

In Mothering Your Nursing Toddler, author Norma Jane Bumgarner describes the reasons why mothers feel they can’t breastfeed past infancy,* even though they (and presumably their children) would like to: “What other people think bothers me too much.” “Nursing is … Continue reading

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Last revised on 07/08/2013

Booby Traps Series: Did you experience any of these tandem nursing Booby Traps?

Nursing in pregnancy and beyond can be, in the words of Hilary Flower, author of a book on the topic, “an adventure.”* It’s also something that may draw the concern or disapproval of health care providers.  This in spite of … Continue reading

Posted in Blog, Booby Traps, Empower, Main Content, Prepare | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments
Last revised on 06/26/2013

Booby Traps Series: Obstetrical practices are making late milk-coming-in the new normal.

A little while back, when I was writing this post about delayed onset of mature milk (“milk coming in”), I ran across this statistic: Nearly one in four mothers experience their milk coming in late - defined as after 72 … Continue reading

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Last revised on 06/19/2013

Science You Can Use: More breastfeeding could save mothers’ lives and billions of dollars.

Every once in a while I see the bumper sticker that says, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Maybe it’s time for a new one that says, “If you think supporting breastfeeding is expensive, try disease.” Okay, that … Continue reading

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Last revised on 06/12/2013

Booby Traps Series: VBAC is a breastfeeding issue. Lack of access to VBAC is a Booby Trap for millions of moms.

The Listening to Mothers III survey, published by Childbirth Connection this month, contained a set of sobering statistics. This survey found that, while moms’ interest in VBAC is increasing (from 45% to 48%), “the proportion of women with a prior … Continue reading

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Last revised on 05/28/2013

Booby Traps Series: Moms who have breast surgery face specific Booby Traps

Moms who have had breast reduction, breast implants, and other breast surgeries face some specific Booby Traps. To develop a good list of these barriers, I spoke with Diana West, IBCLC, author many books on breastfeeding, including Defining Your Own … Continue reading

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Last revised on 05/20/2013

Booby Traps Series: Finding your tribe online, with Lara Audelo, author of The Virtual Breastfeeding Culture

We’re very excited to share this interview with Lara Audelo, Best for Babes team member, owner of Mama Pear Designs, and author of the new book The Virtual Breastfeeding Culture:  Seeking Mother-to-Mother Support in the Digital Age (with an introduction … Continue reading

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Last revised on 05/14/2013