100 year old Community activist is getting evicted. Help us help her secure new housing! Please share or donate! TIA
https://www.gofundme.com/f/100-year-old-mary-sharer-loses-housing?lid=4cogyshw2nba
Please
The NICU Bullies
This is going to be a new series about my experience with workplace bullying. Bullying that was aimed at me. Even with witnesses- nothing was EVER done to help me.
Any of you fellow NICU nurses may find things familiar. Has it happened to you? When I get into details about our shift and what went on…… that’s later…
I will just start with this…
It’s always these tormented sleepless nights when my barely healed scars are acutely dissected into fresh wounds as I relive those viscous hateful assassinations of my character. Repeatedly wondering what I did to be treated like that. So they can flip their pretty manes and go on with their lives as if nothing happened. But for me- my entire life changed. Just in case you ever wonder if people get over how you treat them. Some of us don’t or can’t.
Workplace bullying is life changing for the victim. LIFE CHANGING- Especially myself, who had been a very strong clinician possessing excellent skills, forward progressive thinking, placing new evidence-based info into practice, compassionate, a real leader and teacher of staff and families being reduced to a bubble of tears and unable to function.
I had a nervous breakdown
I was unable to ever return to work.
Shouldn’t those responsible be held accountable?
Yes You Can Breastfeed with COVID19
Credit: NiDerLander
Copyright: NiDerLander
I’ve been approached with many questions about pregnancy and or breastfeeding with this virus. #Covid19
In many cases YES you CAN Breastfeed!
There is still so much unknown about this new #coronavirus .
For that reason, the experts with the most up to date info follow CDC recommended guidances for both protecting yourself thru pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Please review these CDC guidelines and discuss with Your and your babies health care providers for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding !
#LGBTG+ Ally
I wave this flag as an ally of the LGBTG+ community. I see you. I love you. I value you. I admit I am learning. If you or you know of anyone wanting breastfeeding/chestfeeding guidance or questions, I would like to help. I am offering a safe place for questions. Not on social media but privately. PM me for details. If you need a consult, I can refer you. ♥️ (Image from Wikipedia)
Mar 15
Are you afraid to Exclusively Breastfeed? Educate yourself!!!
(image from National Geographic)
As a professional, educating parents and their families about the importance of breastfeeding and human milk for human infants is a priority and a professional responsibility.
It is not about fear or guilt.
It is inappropriate for any of us to imply directly or indirectly to any parent trying to make feeding choices that breastfeeding and formula feeding are equal.
They are not. Human milk is the superior species-specific food for Human infants. The recommended feeding hierarchy from the experts (AAP,CDC, WHO) is Breastfeeding, expressed milk from baby’s birth giving parent, expressed donor milk then properly prepared infant formula.It is also important for health care providers to carefully evaluate each parent baby dyad for feeding adequacy no matter the choice.
The Benefits of Breastfeeding are NOT Overstated as articles currently circling social media would like you to think……
However– There are many parents confused, afraid or unsure. Some parents have developed fear for exclusive breastfeeding due to tragic stories circulating the internet. Those stories are horrible and may not tell the WHOLE story about what happened with that baby. That is important. These tragic stories are heart wrenching. I do not like how the stories are being sensationalized or exploitive of the families. Educate yourselves to learn how to know your baby is getting enough milk always! Learn the babies signals EARLY and listen to the baby. Insist on adequate help and if your baby needs additional milk for some reason of another, GET HELP! Feed your baby. But don’t rule out exclusive breastfeeding. It is the biological norm.We want you to succeed. we want to provide good support. Contact an IBCLC. Find out reasons that may put you at risk for needing additional help. Be informed.
Please do not feel afraid. Please don’t be feeling guilty over your choices. Educate yourself and make feeding choices which are right for you.
I am trying to encourage moms to make informed educated feeding choices and then not feel guilt about their decisions.
REMEMBER – It doesn’t have to be all or nothing!
It is the recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding during an infants first 6 months. If that doesn’t seem feasible to you, then your baby can still benefit from however much or however long you can breastfeed of provide breastmilk. I think that in today’s world, we give a mother all this education about what she should do and then we don’t have all the right support systems in place to really help her!
Here’s what I have found
- Today’s parent is connected to the internet, information and friends by phone, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram or YouTube and “checks in” at least 10 or more times per day.
- The education process to a lot of parents needs to be in small doses, sensitive to her unique learning abilities, her cultural beliefs and practices and most importantly, her choices and individual breastfeeding goals.
- With that in mind, try to provide her with the information she needs to make her decision.
- Never overestimate a parent’s desire to breastfeed her infant.
- Never underestimate a parent’s desire to breastfeed her infant.
- Listen to the parent; help them define their true desires and goals.
- Many times, the first question they ask may not be what they really wants to ask.
- The parent’s individual breastfeeding goals, how they defines them, how important they are to them and how they relate them to their actual breastfeeding experience all help define how they measures success.
- Provide professional support to meet these goals.
- Support the parent, support the parent, and support the parent.
HOWEVER THEY NEED OR WANT
Stay connected
White Privilege – My Story
I have a story if you are interested. My own history lesson and confession I guess. You might ask what this has to do with birth and breastfeeding– and I would tell you that right now – pretty much everything. The population I serve has dramatically increased the numbers of women of color and multiple […]
Nov 6
Breastfeeding- Yeah- It’s Not Exact or Precise
Cartoon by Neil
The truth of the matter is that doctors, physicians assistants, med students, interns, yes and many midwives plus many nurses working in the mother/baby environment SIMPLY DO NOT have enough education about Lactation and Lactation Management to adequately guide new mothers. It is sad and pathetic. The vast majority of these individuals would rather work with precise numbers and are actually happier if a mom is pumping and feeding her milk in a container to baby.
It is no wonder this has transferred to the vulnerable new mother. WE have done this to her. There is actually a new trend to pump and feed expressed breast milk instead of ever putting baby to breast. I can help you with that. Please know that a large number of these infants do get some formula until milk supply is established. Make an informed choice. These breastmilk-fed babies are not usually exclusively fed expressed milk thru out the first few months. It is a hard job to pump and feed and pump and feed. It is a damn hard job to build and keep up a full supply long term exclusively pumping!! It has been done. You can do it. Mommas are very powerful and they can do it SO if that’s the choice you make then GO FOR IT!!! Give it all you have got. But CONSIDER putting baby to breast and feeding the way nature designed your body. Work with an IBCLC. We need good lactation programs at EVERY facility that provides childbirth services. We need IBCLC’s in the hospital. We need prenatal education about the benefits of breastfeeding so mothers make a true informed choice.
The more I speak with and counsel new mothers, the more I get asked for exact numbers when it comes to feeding instruction. It is no surprise that the number one question on the mind of a brand new first time breastfeeding mom is “HOW do I know my baby is getting enough milk?”
Babies were born to breastfeed
WATCH the baby, Listen to the baby. Look for feeding cues or little things the baby does which tell you he is getting hungry.
Lets make it EASY with very little “rules”. Think of these as TOOLS– not RULES
First: Attachment to breast should be DEEP and COMFORTABLE
Second: Baby needs to do the RIGHT JOB of effective drinking
Third: Baby needs to do this OFTEN ENOUGH each 24 hours…. about 8 for most moms – more is very common- feed on cue
Fourth: By the fourth day ( give or take a day), and EACH 24 HOURS thereafter Baby should be having around 6 ”good” wet diapers and about 3 -4 poops that are starting to turn yellow.
Please KEEP your baby with you at a times!! Just.Say.NO.
Bottom line– Weight Gain. Baby should be at birth weight by Day 10 (or at least on a proven good upward trend) and be gaining about an ounce every day thereafter.
After the first 4-6 weeks. This little chart comes in handy:
Copyright Nancy Mohrbacher used with permission
If a doctor or nurses first suggestion is to give formula to your breastfed baby—for whatever reason— ask to see a Lactation Consultant, an IBCLC.
These are the only numbers to remember. TRY to stop stressing out.
This blog post is not a replacement for medical advice should you or your baby have an issue. This is applicable to healthy full term infants.
Copyright 2014 StorkStories RN IBCLC RLC
Mar 3
Breastfeeding or Bottlefeeding–> Millennium Moms Guilty over Infant Feeding Choices?
(image from National Geographic)
As a professional, educating mothers and their family’s about the importance of breastfeeding and human milk for human infants is a priority and a professional responsibility.
It is not about guilt.
It is inappropriate for any of us to imply directly or indirectly to any mother trying to make feeding choices that breastfeeding and formula feeding are equal.
They are not. Human milk is the superior species-specific food for Human infants. The recommended feeding hierarchy from the experts (AAP,CDC, WHO) is Breastfeeding, expressed milk from baby’s mother, expressed donor milk then properly prepared infant formula.
The Benefits of Breastfeeding are NOT Overstated as articles currently circling social media would like you to think……
However– There are many moms confused, afraid or unsure.
Please don’t be feeling guilty. Educate yourself and make feeding choices which are right for you.
All or most of this discussion is NOT directed at any mother who tried to breastfeed under any circumstance and wasn’t able to at all or wasn’t able to fulfill her individual goals. I applaud all your efforts for trying to give your baby the best food you could. I am so sorry that you experienced the difficulties you have. Your situation is not what this discussion is about.
I am trying to encourage moms to make informed educated feeding choices and then not feel guilt about their decisions.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing!
It is the recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding during an infants first 6 months. If that doesn’t seem feasible to you, then your baby can still benefit from however much or however long you can breastfeed of provide breastmilk. I think that in today’s world, we give a mother all this education about what she should do and then we don’t have all the right support systems in place to really help her!
Here’s what I have found
- Today’s mom is connected to the internet, information and friends by phone, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or YouTube and “checks in” at least 5 or more times per day.
- The education process to a lot of mothers needs to be in small doses (140 characters of less), sensitive to her unique learning abilities, her cultural beliefs and practices and most importantly, her choices and individual breastfeeding goals.
- With that in mind, try to provide her with the information she needs to make her decision.
- Never overestimate a mother’s desire to breastfeed her infant.
- Never underestimate a mother’s desire to breastfeed her infant.
- Listen to the mother; help her define her true desires and goals.
- Many times, the first question she asks may not be what she really wants to ask.
- The mother’s individual breastfeeding goals, how she defines them, how important they are to her and how she relates them to her actual breastfeeding experience all help define how she measures success.
- Support the mother, support the mother, and support the mother.
HOWEVER SHE NEEDS OR WANTS
Stay connected
TheFeministBreeder
StorkStories..... 