Is Breastmilk Still the Best?

There has always been a lot of discussion and research going on that sometimes say that breastmilk is best and at other times that breastmilk can be replicated by infant formula. So how can parents know which research is right and accurate? As a company we have always believed in the miracle of breastmilk and mother nature, and believe that no matter what any research shows, Man can never replicate nature. 

Perhaps the best example of why breastmilk is best was shared recently by one of our colleagues at Baby Slings & Carriers using the example of bees. 

Shared with permission by Donnie Lee (in his FaceBook posting):

"I believe that breast milk like royal jelly are miracles of nature. 

A bee master shared with me before that the difference between the Queen bee and a worker bee is the amount of royal jelly they get when they are larva's. The former is exclusively fed royal jelly while the worker bees only get 3 days of royal jelly. 

While the queen bee can live for at least 3-4 years and up to 8 years long, an average worker bee only lives for a few months.

Scientist have attempted to reproduce royal jelly based on synthetically based on the precise chemical mixture & breakdown using the most sophisticated machines. When this "man-made" royal jelly was fed to bee larvae... the result? Still just work bees! 

While bees in nature have never failed to create their queen anytime they needed one, humans have NEVER been able to replicate that process.

The lesson I learned from that story is that not everything can be explained by science. We just don't know what we don't know. Perhaps it would make sense for us to have more faith in nature than science and understand that somethings we don't see does mean they are not there."

How apt! With this, we wish all breastfeeding families a wonderful World Breastfeeding Week! Happy Breastfeeding!

Breastfeeding - Cover or Not?

Breastmilk is the most complete food for infants and there is no doubt that because breastmilk is highly digestible, a baby may need to feed more frequently (with their tiny walnut sized stomachs) than us adults. And that can mean every hour or so depending on the baby's metabolic rate.



So how does one deal with the need for frequent (or even infrequent) feedings in the public, once the mother feels well enough to get out of the house?

With the increased awareness and number of mothers breastfeeding, the public's acceptance of public breastfeeding seems to have improved by leaps and bounds. However, we need to recognize that every person's perception and acceptance level appears to be different with public breastfeeding, be it the mother, father or the stranger in the street who chances on the breastfeeding pair. For a new mother who is not used to viewing her breasts as a natural human anatomy that is made for breastfeeding (yes, even in public), she may be rather apprehensive about "flashing her boobs" in public. We know perhaps by writing this post that we may get a lot of protests from our female counterparts or even hate mails (we've seen it appear in many forums - so many we lost count). However, we will like to reiterate the point that we are all for public breastfeeding and the reason for writing this post is purely to showcase different views on public breastfeeding for which we have got enormous mails about.

There are many reasons when a mother makes a choice to cover up when breastfeeding in public:

1) The mother may be unprepared to have her breasts seen by anyone except her partner and her breastfeeding child. For most of us growing up in a conservative society, we have been taught that we should never expose any of our "private parts" which includes our breasts. All these years of belief will not suddenly change every woman's view about having her privacy intruded when she has a baby. We should respect the mother's choice and support what she is most comfortable with. Breastfeeding in public is never about forcing a mother have her privacy intruded on (from the mother's viewpoint). For the more courageous moms who are less concerned, we are more than happy that you are showing the way that breastfeeding is really a natural part of life! :)


2) The father may be unprepared for his wife to be seen breastfeeding in public. The dads may have grown up in a conservative family as well and may feel uncomfortable for the reasons as how some mothers will feel about breastfeeding as listed above. From a more protective husband's point of view, "I really support my wife's decision to breastfeed in public, but I feel so insecure and helpless when there are prying eyes!" We again have to respect each couple's individual decision. Then again there are other daddies who are fine with any arrangements.

3) The extended family usually the grandparents, may be uncomfortable. As many of our parents did not grow up in an environment where breastfeeding is prevalent, it may be difficult for them to see it now as anything other than indecent exposure, after believing so for the last few decades. Old habits die hard and wouldn't it make sense to have a more amiable process for their acceptance by slowly winning them over? Of course, there are other grandparents who are completely supportive and are comfortable with public breastfeeding (without any cover-ups).

4) Friends or strangers (especially males) may be very uncomfortable being in full view of a mother breastfeeding her baby in front of them. They are worried because as a man once put it, "It's difficult for me to go up to this friend when she is breastfeeding nearby and in full view. I am worried that if I accidentally look at her she might think I am rude and trying to peep. So I pretended to not see her and walk away. It really puts me in an awkward position, especially when she spotted and called out to me."

Eventually we do hope that breastfeeding can become so common and people feel that there is no more need to cover up. Until then, rather than forced acceptance, some mothers feel that discreet breastfeeding does help them bridge the gap and allow for the baby to be fed when he or she is hungry and yet be respectful of other's comfort level. Afterall, it is about a gentle movement, at a comfortable pace where the end result is widespread societal acceptance of public breastfeeding where nobody even blinks an eye.

Until then, here are several ways we can think of that a breastfeeding mother can breastfeed discreetly (even in the hospital ward with visitors):

Nursing Covers 

 

Getting a nursing or breastfeeding cover with a rigid neckline can help loads for those who need to watch baby or to engage baby while avoiding prying eyes. Preferably they should come with a heavier weight at the bottom to prevent it from flying up and exposing the mother. An award winning stylish nursing cover from Bebe au Lait does that effectively. The covers can also be great for older babies who are easily distracted during breastfeeding.



Baby Ring Slings
Not only can a baby sling be used to transport your baby while leaving you hands-free. The tail end can even double up as an extra coverage for discreet breastfeeding. Because it is a baby carrier, you can even shop around while your baby is latched on without anyone ever finding out. A fashionable and comfortable linen blend ring sling from JumpSac can be a godsend for a stylish mommy. No special clothes required (although you should be wearing a top that is loose and easy to pull up if you are not wearing special nursing clothes).

Stretchy Wrap
An extremely user-friendly one like Sleepy Wrap not only allows for the mother to carry her baby hands-free and comfortably for long periods of time, it also allows for quick and discreet breastfeeding. A normal stretchy tank or camisole that can pulled downwards easily allows a baby to breastfeed on the go. Switching breast is a breeze if baby is already in an upright position. Just slide the head over to the side and nurse.


Nursing clothes

There are many clothes made specially with nursing access for more discreet breastfeeding. Some allow for lifting up, others come with zips, yet others come with buttons or clasps (top-down access). Due to the wide range available, a new mother can perhaps think about the type of access she is best able to handle. For example, some women are more efficient with lifting up than pulling down. So choosing the one most comfortable for each individual can be an important decision with a hungry baby. If unsure, get a few different types and try out before getting more.

At the end of the day, we believe that the decision to cover or not when breastfeeding in public or how to cover up is an entirely individual (or familial) one and in order to provide a nurturing environment for continued breastfeeding, individual choices should be respected regardless of whether it is in line with our own.

Do you really need to see a Lactation Consultant?

(This was first published on our FaceBook notes January 26, 2010.)

 Baby breastfeeding discreetly in a Sleepy Wrap

When I just had my first baby almost 6 years ago, breastfeeding wasn't the norm and lactation consultants were very much unheard of in Singapore. So it is no wonder why I never thought of visiting a lactation consultant at all to ask any breastfeeding related questions. Five years and two breastfed children later (with breastfeeding experience of over 4 years as well as in tandem nursing), I notice more and more of my friends and customers who are new parents seeing lactation consultants and thought it such a wonderful idea to be able to ask an "expert" about nagging breastfeeding questions we were too shy to ask our mothers or friends who never breastfed.

So is the greater availability of lactation consultants really a blessing? I think the equation actually swings both ways.

Due to the fact that more people are willing to breastfeed and understand that it is a skill to be learnt, more hospitals are prescribing the services of their lactation consultants when new mothers give birth to babies. That is wonderful, especially for new mothers who have no idea what a football hold is or a correct latch-on is like, or even what is colostrum and how it looks like.

A lactation consultant can be helpful in explaining these and checking whether a mother's milk supply has kicked in. However, the squeezing of the new mother's nipples when her breasts are sore aren't really the best way to introduce a mommy to breastfeeding. Some lactation consultants experienced or otherwise can be quite rough and squeeze quite hard (which happened with my nurse and a lot of my friends' lactation consultants), leading a new mother to associate breastfeeding with pain. Not a very good start to a successful breastfeeding journey if you ask me. For those of us who have successfully breastfed our children, we know breastfeeding with the correct latch is rarely ever painful.

Throughout these few years, I have heard various misconceptions about breastfeeding which my friends have gleaned from their lactation consultants. One common one is to have the baby breastfeed from both breasts and empty both breasts with each feed. While some babies have the stomach for it, my practical experience is it rarely ever happens. Remember how small your newborn is - how big can their stomachs be? My friend whom I used to call when I first had breastfeeding problems reminded me that the size of a a baby's tummy is really the size of a walnut. It's that small! So it is really not necessary to empty both breasts in one single feed. Remember too that sometimes babies do suckle because they get thirsty, for which they only suckle a little for the foremilk which acts like water to them.

Another common one will be switching breasts after a certain time limit. Yet another misconception. We are all different individuals with different babies and different demands for milk (and different speeds of drawing milk). Our bodies are such a miracle because they adapt and provide for our children. A better way will be to allow baby to suckle one one side until it is emptied and offer another side if they can have more. If your baby has fallen asleep, let him or her be.... because your baby is already satisfied and you will only stress yourself out by trying to stick to what your LC tells you. Only baby himself knows best if they are hungry. If they are thriving and wetting enough diapers, there is really no cause for concern.

There are so many more misconceptions out there (the above is just the tip of the iceberg) that were formed by new mothers after listening to their LCs that sometimes I cannot help but wonder if most LCs are sticking too much to a "standard" and whether they have any practical/ hands-on experience in breastfeeding. Am I then saying that seeing an LC is not useful? Absolutely not. For any breastfeeding journeys to be successful, it is important for new mothers to perhaps first understand a little more about breastfeeding and what to expect, then surround herself with people who have successfully breastfed their children. The Internet is a treasure trove for these and if you have more specific questions like checking on a baby's latch or breastfeeding problems like Mastitis, then it will be best to seek out a qualified LC to help resolve your problem.

One resource which I have found very useful will be the Kelly Mom website at www.kellymom.com for more reading and specific problem solving. And if you need a listening ear in Singapore, we have the Breastfeeding Mothers' Support Group at www.breastfeeding.org.sg

And if you really need to see an LC, you have a say in choosing someone who can support you in your breastfeeding efforts, who is open and with a keen listening ear. It will definitely be a big plus too if she also had practical experience in breastfeeding her own babies.

(contributed by Pearline Foo, 26 Jan 2010)

Breastfeeding & Babywearing - why they remain the best ways to bond with your baby

(The following was first published on our FaceBook notes on August 24, 2009.)

We had the good fortune of being invited by the Breastfeeding Mothers' Support Group (S) to be a GOLD Sponsor for their World Breastfeeding Week event held last Saturday at the Health Promotion Board in Singapore.

Mdm Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings (also PM Lee Hsien Loong's wife) and guest-of-honour shared with the audience in her speech about her futile breastfeeding experience. Apparently the lack of experience and knowledge led to her being unable to breastfeed her child when she contracted chickenpox shortly after birth based on the advice given by her doctor. The reason was that they wanted to prevent her baby from catching the chickenpox virus as well. Unfortunately her baby did and when she tried to restart breastfeeding to pass on her antibodies to her baby through the milk, she found she couldn't despite her best efforts. The only consolation (as quoted from The Sunday Times dates 23 August 2009), she spent the next week with baby on her chest to provide a comfortable skin-to-skin contact while he recovered from his chickenpox.

We totally admire her efforts despite her heavy schedule to provide skin-to-skin contact for her baby to aid her baby in his recovery. Even though it was a pity that breastfeeding efforts was hampered, she has brought up a very important point to help babies thrive. That is, skin-to-skin contact.

Today, most talks when it comes to early childhood parenting will speak about bonding. And what really is bonding? If one were to check the dictionary, you will find that the explanation of the word "bond" really means something that binds, fastens, confines, or holds together. And that in the parenting sense, can broadly be translated into skin-to-skin contact. By creating a good bond between parent and child in the early years, this can spell a lot of benefits in the long route of parenting by means of trust, confidence-building, high EQ, better IQ and so on. (You can read more about benefits of bonding in most parenting books.)

Babywearing, like Breastfeeding often provides the necessary ingredients for creating that special bond - because your baby needs to be held close to you for both actions to happen. While breastfeeding can only be done by a mother who directly breastfeeds her baby, babywearing can be done by daddies, mommies, grandparents or even other caregivers to help them bond with a new baby. Best of all, even if a mother for some reason could not breastfeed, there is no reason not to be able to create that special bond. With babywearing, all this is still possible.

Happy Babywearing!