Like you needed another reason to breastfeed! A study in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry has found that mothers who breastfeed exclusively have a stronger bond with their child for the first few months of the baby’s life.
How was the study conducted? Scientists used MRIs to study the neurological responses of breastfeeding moms and formula moms to their baby’s cry. Breastfeeding moms showed greater activity in brain regions related to care-giving behavior and empathy than formula moms.
Great news for breastfeeding moms! But it’s important to note that this study only covered the first few months of life, and measured very specific neurological responses. Moms who can’t breastfeed or who supplement with formula can, of course, bond with their baby in other ways.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Increasing Your Milk Supply
“How can I increase my breast milk supply?” It’s a question we hear from breastfeeding moms all the time.
You may feel like you’re not producing enough, ever. Or your baby may be going through a growth spurt and suddenly seem hungrier than usual. Or you might be concerned about the drop in supply that can be triggered by a return to the workplace.
Don’t worry! Once you’ve taken the obvious steps—resting enough and eating well, talking to your doctor—there are a couple of clever ways you can coax your body into producing more milk:
And finally – relax! A rested and relaxed mind and body will produce a healthier milk supply for your baby.
You may feel like you’re not producing enough, ever. Or your baby may be going through a growth spurt and suddenly seem hungrier than usual. Or you might be concerned about the drop in supply that can be triggered by a return to the workplace.
Don’t worry! Once you’ve taken the obvious steps—resting enough and eating well, talking to your doctor—there are a couple of clever ways you can coax your body into producing more milk:
- Take Fenugreek. Fenugreek, a key ingredient in Mamatini, and has been shown to increase breast milk production by as much as 900%
- Switch your birth control. Contraceptives containing estrogen—like birth-control pills and vaginal rings—can decrease milk production.
- Milk production sometimes dips right before your period starts. Taking a calcium and magnesium supplement for those few days can help.
- Use a good breast pump! Cheaper pumps can lose their effectiveness over time.
- Pump or nurse at least every three hours, if possible.
- When possible, pump immediately after nursing your baby. The added demand on your breasts will eventually lead to a greater milk supply.
And finally – relax! A rested and relaxed mind and body will produce a healthier milk supply for your baby.
Tina Fey Was “Depressed” Over Using Formula
If you’ve had trouble producing enough milk, you’re not alone! Tina Fey has revealed in her new memoir, Bossypants, that she sunk into a “deep depression” in 2005 after giving up breastfeeding, and feeding formula to her daughter, Alice.
She says: “I chose to pump every two hours while watching the HBO series 'Entourage'. I was able to do this for seven weeks before running out of episodes and sinking into a deep depression.”
And after switching to formula, she says, “The baby was thriving. I was no longer feeling trapped, spending 30 out of every 90 minutes attached to a Williams-Sonoma Tit Juicer. But I still had an overwhelming feeling of disappointment. I had failed at something that was supposed to be natural.”
Fey says she also grew jealous of friends who succeeded at breastfeeding: “At a party where a friend was successfully nursing her little boy, I watched her husband produce a bottle of breast milk the size of a Big Gulp. It was more milk than I had produced in my whole seven weeks - I blame 'Entourage'.”
Fey makes it sound funny—who wouldn’t get depressed watching seven weeks of Entourage? But many mothers feel this sense of failure when faced with some of the challenges of breastfeeding. And while breast milk is best, it’s important to remember it isn’t the only option—as Fey points out, you can raise a healthy, “thriving” baby with formula, too. And if breastfeeding for longer is a priority for you, do your research and get the help you need to make it happen.
Have you felt frustrated by milk supply issues, or envied mothers who seemed “better” at breastfeeding? How did you deal with it? Let us know in the comments.
She says: “I chose to pump every two hours while watching the HBO series 'Entourage'. I was able to do this for seven weeks before running out of episodes and sinking into a deep depression.”
And after switching to formula, she says, “The baby was thriving. I was no longer feeling trapped, spending 30 out of every 90 minutes attached to a Williams-Sonoma Tit Juicer. But I still had an overwhelming feeling of disappointment. I had failed at something that was supposed to be natural.”
Fey says she also grew jealous of friends who succeeded at breastfeeding: “At a party where a friend was successfully nursing her little boy, I watched her husband produce a bottle of breast milk the size of a Big Gulp. It was more milk than I had produced in my whole seven weeks - I blame 'Entourage'.”
Fey makes it sound funny—who wouldn’t get depressed watching seven weeks of Entourage? But many mothers feel this sense of failure when faced with some of the challenges of breastfeeding. And while breast milk is best, it’s important to remember it isn’t the only option—as Fey points out, you can raise a healthy, “thriving” baby with formula, too. And if breastfeeding for longer is a priority for you, do your research and get the help you need to make it happen.
Have you felt frustrated by milk supply issues, or envied mothers who seemed “better” at breastfeeding? How did you deal with it? Let us know in the comments.
Would You Sell Your Breast Milk Online?
Selling your breast milk on the internet sounds odd. But there are moms doing it! Sites like Only The Breast are like Craigslist for breast milk: moms put up listings categorized by the age of their baby (0-2 months, 2-6 months, 6-12 months), and either ship their milk to buyers or meet locally. Prices range from $1 to $2.50 per ounce, and at least one mom, interviewed by Wired, has been able to pay her bills by selling her milk. Most buyers are moms who need more milk for their babies, but there are also some adult male buyers (there is a special section on the site for moms “willing to sell breast milk to men”).
There are also donation-based sites, like Human Milk 4 Human Babies and Eats on Feets, that connect moms with an oversupply of breast milk to moms in need.
Donating your breast milk to one of these sites may seem less ethically questionable than selling it, but according to the FDA, neither option is medically safe: “When human milk is obtained directly from individuals or through the Internet, the donor is unlikely to have been adequately screened for infectious disease or contamination risk. In addition, it is not likely that the human milk has been collected, processed, tested, or stored in a way that reduces possible safety risks to the baby.”
The best option is donating to or buying from an established milk bank, like HMBANA.
Tell us: would you sell your breast milk?
There are also donation-based sites, like Human Milk 4 Human Babies and Eats on Feets, that connect moms with an oversupply of breast milk to moms in need.
Donating your breast milk to one of these sites may seem less ethically questionable than selling it, but according to the FDA, neither option is medically safe: “When human milk is obtained directly from individuals or through the Internet, the donor is unlikely to have been adequately screened for infectious disease or contamination risk. In addition, it is not likely that the human milk has been collected, processed, tested, or stored in a way that reduces possible safety risks to the baby.”
The best option is donating to or buying from an established milk bank, like HMBANA.
Tell us: would you sell your breast milk?
Friday, July 23, 2010
Summer Salmon Salad
Top NYC Chef and Nutritionist Amy Melms of Mmmunch guest blogs for Mamatini with a super summer salmon salad recipe!
Having a baby is one of the most monumental experiences in one’s life. It’s exciting, overwhelming, emotional and exhausting. As soon as they arrive, you’re focused on your new addition round the clock, non-stop.
But who’s taking care of you?
Most new moms are strapped for time and their diet is sometimes an afterthought. So here’s a quick, nutrish and delish recipe for salmon salad that is especially good for nursing moms. Salmon is a win-win because it is chock full of DHA crucial to baby’s nervous system and at the same time helpful in preventing postpartum depression.
I like to think of it as Mommy prozac.
Salmon Salad
2 cups of cooked flaked wild salmon (leftovers or you can use canned)
2 organic hard boiled eggs
1 diced red pepper
1 cucumber
1/3 cup onion
mayonnaise, mustard, nayonnaise
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
any type of leafy green or fresh lettuce
In a large bowl gently mix salmon and eggs together. In another bowl mix pepper, cucumber, onion, mayo or mustard and salt and pepper. Pour over salmon mixture and add lemon juice and toss lightly. Serve over leafy greens or put it between two pieces of whole-grain bread.
(note: FDA guidelines say breastfeeding women should limit consumption of fish to 12 ounces per week due to mercury.)
- Amy Nelms Mmmunch
Having a baby is one of the most monumental experiences in one’s life. It’s exciting, overwhelming, emotional and exhausting. As soon as they arrive, you’re focused on your new addition round the clock, non-stop.
But who’s taking care of you?
Most new moms are strapped for time and their diet is sometimes an afterthought. So here’s a quick, nutrish and delish recipe for salmon salad that is especially good for nursing moms. Salmon is a win-win because it is chock full of DHA crucial to baby’s nervous system and at the same time helpful in preventing postpartum depression.
I like to think of it as Mommy prozac.
Salmon Salad
2 cups of cooked flaked wild salmon (leftovers or you can use canned)
2 organic hard boiled eggs
1 diced red pepper
1 cucumber
1/3 cup onion
mayonnaise, mustard, nayonnaise
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
any type of leafy green or fresh lettuce
In a large bowl gently mix salmon and eggs together. In another bowl mix pepper, cucumber, onion, mayo or mustard and salt and pepper. Pour over salmon mixture and add lemon juice and toss lightly. Serve over leafy greens or put it between two pieces of whole-grain bread.
(note: FDA guidelines say breastfeeding women should limit consumption of fish to 12 ounces per week due to mercury.)
- Amy Nelms Mmmunch
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Stress Relief for Children
Did you know that children experience stress just as much as adults? Children as young as three years, can experience anxiety, fear, sadness, loss, etc., in connection with everyday occurrences around them. Today especially, our children pressured to compete and succeed intellectually and socially right from preschool. For this reason most children live in a state of constant stress. We, as adults are able to recognize our stress and seek outlets for stress relief, such as introspection, meditation, yoga, and prayer. But are we able to recognize stress in our children? Better yet, are we able to help our children learn to cope?
When we meditate, practice yoga, Qi Gung, or pray we are acknowledging a part of ourselves that needs replenishment in order to continue with life’s struggles. Children, being human, are no less in need of this replenishment than are adults. Children as young as three can be guided to learn more about themselves and find that solace that comes with self-awareness. Yes, children can learn to meditate for very short periods and practice mindfulness especially if they are given an opportunity to connect with nature.
A few minutes of quiet time outdoors before or after playing in the park or in the back yard suffices to bring a child’s internal compass to balance. It helps open the child up to the wonder of life which is very far removed from the daily societal pressures that we have created and live in, almost like mice on a wheel. One can also create a ritual of five to ten minutes of quiet time before bed to allow a child to ask and receive answers to questions that may be on his or her mind. These are very brief but extremely valuable moments for your child’s spirit. Try it and see the result for yourself!
Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze, MD
When we meditate, practice yoga, Qi Gung, or pray we are acknowledging a part of ourselves that needs replenishment in order to continue with life’s struggles. Children, being human, are no less in need of this replenishment than are adults. Children as young as three can be guided to learn more about themselves and find that solace that comes with self-awareness. Yes, children can learn to meditate for very short periods and practice mindfulness especially if they are given an opportunity to connect with nature.
A few minutes of quiet time outdoors before or after playing in the park or in the back yard suffices to bring a child’s internal compass to balance. It helps open the child up to the wonder of life which is very far removed from the daily societal pressures that we have created and live in, almost like mice on a wheel. One can also create a ritual of five to ten minutes of quiet time before bed to allow a child to ask and receive answers to questions that may be on his or her mind. These are very brief but extremely valuable moments for your child’s spirit. Try it and see the result for yourself!
Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze, MD
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Pregnancy and Motion Sickness
Q. I suddenly developed severe motion sickness during my pregnancy and it has continued even though my baby is now 3 months old. I never had motion sickness before and now I can’t ride in a car for long periods especially on winding roads.
A. Severe motion sickness may be caused by anemia, which can occur during and after pregnancy. You should have your doctor check your blood count. If you prove to be anemic, I would recommend a liquid iron supplement with folic acid and Vitamin B12. Most iron preparations tend to cause intestinal distress. I have found the liquid combination preparation sold by Integrative Therapeutics to be effective and well tolerated, and easily purchased on line. You should notice an improvement in your motion sickness as soon as your anemia is corrected.
A. Severe motion sickness may be caused by anemia, which can occur during and after pregnancy. You should have your doctor check your blood count. If you prove to be anemic, I would recommend a liquid iron supplement with folic acid and Vitamin B12. Most iron preparations tend to cause intestinal distress. I have found the liquid combination preparation sold by Integrative Therapeutics to be effective and well tolerated, and easily purchased on line. You should notice an improvement in your motion sickness as soon as your anemia is corrected.
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