By Elita of Blacktating.com for the Best for Babes Foundation ©2010

Remember last week when supermodel Gisele Bundchen said she thought there should be a law requiring moms to breastfeed for 6 months? Well, she got her wish. Indonesia passed a law that will go into effect in October that states that all women who are medically able to breastfeed must do so for at least 6 months. Mothers who decline will face up to a year in jail or a $15,000 fine.

Did you hear the one about the breastfeeding advocate who is formula feeding her baby? That was the secret Attachment Parenting guru Katie Granju revealed on her blog this week. Katie, who lost her eldest child weeks before giving birth, said the stress caused her mature milk to never come in. After trying every technique she knew, she finally came to the realization that her baby girl will have to be on formula. A good reminder that when we see moms bottle feeding in public, we don’t know their stories or how hard they may have tried to breastfeed without success.

I loved this article highlighting two hospitals in the Tampa area who are encouraging and supporting moms with babies in the NICU to breastfeed. Nearly 80% of the moms of these sick babies are nursing. Many have said they would have given up a long time ago if not for the support systems in place at the hospital. Don’t you love it when the hospital gets it right and is promoting breastfeeding instead of booby trapping moms?

The Health Ministry in China investigated claims this week by parents who complained, their baby girls began to develop breasts after drinking a particular brand of infant formula. The ministry says “no link” can be found between the formula and the breast growth.

Dr. Thomas Hale, the go-to doctor for information on medicines and breast milk, has opened his Infant Risk Center. This call-in center is now open to take calls from professionals and parents. There is no charge for this fantastic service that will provide accurate, evidence-based information on medications that are safe during pregnancy and lactation.

And just when you thought it was safe to leave the house with your kids, yet another mom has been kicked out of a public place for breastfeeding her baby. This time it was McDonald’s. The owner of the restaurant has apologized, but I’m getting a little tired of reading this story over and over again.

The National Health Promotion Strategy kicked off their “Well Bermuda” program with a Breastfed Baby Photo Exhibit this week. The Minister of Health in Bermuda said of the exhibit: “Every baby displayed on these walls is a winner simply because they were fortunate enough to be given the greatest of gifts.” I agree!

Breastfed Baby Photo Exhibit