Blacktating

Guest Post: Breastfeeding While Vegan

2012-05-18T12:26:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to bring you today's guest post by one of my favorite lactivists, Anayah. You may remember her from the hilarious "Sh*t People Say to Breastfeeding Mothers" video. Today she's discussing an important topic: how to stay healthy and provide the best nutrition for your baby while vegan.

We’re 23 months into this thing. SJ must have known how little I actually knew about breastfeeding, because he latched on perfectly within 30 minutes of being born. The midwife had included pamphlets in our home birth info pack, complete with troubleshooting tips featuring glossy, colorful close-up shots of conditions like thrush and cracked nipples. In my babymooning, I tucked them away and buried my head in the sand. I’d cross those bridges if I ever came to them. It turns out that the most difficult parts of this journey have been maintaining self-care on a plant-based diet and now, keeping my cool through weaning. There were no pamphlets for those things.
So, I’m one of those people who eat a vegan diet. This means that the foods I eat come from plants. On top of that, I’m somewhat of a health nut, so I eat lots of greens, very little processed foods, and try to make sure most of my meals are made at home. I’ve been vegan for about 20 years of my life, but breastfeeding pushed me to reconsider my diet in ways I didn’t have to before. Most people want to talk about protein when it comes to veganism, but since that’s a completely uninformed concern, I won’t deal with it here. I’m also going to take for granted that you’re just as concerned about nutrition as eating organic as much as is reasonable and fighting for clean water and air (heard about the jet fuel found in breastmilk?). Those things aside, I believe the most important concern for a vegan breastfeeding mother is FAT!

My first point of advice is to make sure you’re getting enough calories. We all know that breastfeeding can burn 200-500 calories a day. A vegan diet is naturally low-fat because we don’t consume the animal fats that omnivores do. I was dismayed at how quickly I lost my plump post-baby body; it took me a few months to realize that the demands of exclusive breastfeeding required me to be intentional about eating foods like avocados, soaked nuts, nut butters and coconut oil. Eating for two (or three or more), right?

The second thing to consider is vitamin B12. Actually, anyone struggling with energy might want to check on their vitamin B12 intake anyway. Low vitamin B12 levels can show itself as fatigue, memory loss, and/or depression. Vegans are particularly at-risk for B12 deficiency if we don’t eat foods that are fortified with it, like fortified cereals. I prefer to use nutritional yeast, which contains the B vitamins and has a nutty, yet malleable flavor. There are also claims that some coconut products, like coconut nectar, amino acids or vinegar have broad-spectrum B vitamins. I’ll wait for the studies before depending on them though.

Then, there’s vitamin D. There is lots of debate about which type of vitamin D is safe for vegans: D2 or D3. Most people get their vitamin D from the same place they get their B vitamins: fortified foods. Pretty much any milk (whether cow’s or almond) has vitamin D added to it. Since vitamin D is needed to help the body absorb calcium and maintain strong bones, you definitely don’t want to fool around here (you do like your teeth, right?). Even before pregnancy, I knew from having my blood examined that I was severely deficient in vitamin D3. I take great pains to get lots of sun exposure and ensure adequate vitamin D intake. For the record, most vitamin D3 supplements come from animal sources, while D2 does not, though your body will still have to convert it to D3.

I’m trusting you to consult your doctor, nutritionist or whatever health professionals you trust on these things. Still, from one breastfeeding mother to another, I want to push you past nutrition talk to remind you to take care of yourself. If you’re a first-time mother like I am, please get into the habit of making sure your support circle supports your health, as well as the baby’s. Breastfeeding should not be at your expense, no matter how much of a “sacrifice” it is. In my case, taking care of myself meant constantly being vocal and clear about my needs. My husband and visitors were gently reminded to help make sure I ate enough, ate well, stayed hydrated and rested. I had to remind my husband that SJ would get everything he needed from my breastmilk, but that I needed to be conscious of what I consumed. Not getting enough calcium, your body is smart enough to take it from your bones (teeth!). So, eating well and self-care are a breastfeeding mother’s protection.

Now, when you develop the magic equation for stress-free weaning, drop me a line on twitter: @anayahrose.

Anayah is a blogging mother, wife, doula, childbirth educator and aspiring midwife. She earned a M.S.Ed. in Urban Education and is active in her community around food and reproductive health justice. She co-edited the forthcoming “Free to Breastfeed: Voice from Black Mothers” and gives talks about breastfeeding and food justice. In addition to the FtB blog, she co-founded SoulVegFolk, a social network that connects and nurtures African descended families through healthy, eco-lifestyles, and writes a personal blog.

For more information on breastfeeding while vegan or vegetarian, see Kellymom's page on Vegetarian Diets & Breastfeeding.
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Alicia Keys on Breastfeeding

2012-05-16T09:46:00.002-04:00

Well, well, well, look who has come out of the woodwork to talk about her experience with breastfeeding. It's none other than Ms. Alicia Keys! Now, back in October of 2010 when she had her son Egypt, I figured she wasn't breastfeeding. She never made mention of it in any interviews and she was seen out on the town sans baby frequently in the early weeks after his birth. I assumed she wasn't nursing and to be honest, I wasn't really checking for her anyway (yes, I'm Team Mashonda all day).

I guess Alicia couldn't stand to see Beyonce get all of the breastfeeding shine, so when she recently sat down with Lifetime for an episode of The Conversation, she had this to say:

On how her body has changed after she had her son:

I think that it’s changed in so many ways. I was thinking about this the other day; we were just saying that your body does things that it would have never done before. It’s a miracle and incredible; bones and structures of your body move to new places! It’s like how?

Then I also breastfed; I don’t know if it’s a total myth but when you breastfeed you kind of lose weight quicker.

On breastfeeding:

I loved it. Well, there were a couple of things no one told you. I took this whole class too which I thought was really good because I think a lot of people think you’re just supposed to have this natural instinct that’s suppose to happen out of thin air. There’s a technique to learn and if you don’t know it, it’s not your fault. I was glad I did that because I felt kind of prepared a little bit. The whole engorgement thing, no one mentioned that part.
I remember I was in the bed and I couldn’t move because it hurts and there is no way around it. I delivered naturally and I kept asking myself, “What is wrong with you? You spent hours and hours in labor and delivered naturally but you can’t take some [milk coming in.]" They skipped that part; they didn’t tell me about that one.

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Welcome New Sponsor Evymama!

2012-05-07T09:52:00.001-04:00

See that gorgeous ad to the left there? That is from my latest sponsor, Evymama! I'm thrilled to have them as a sponsor of Blacktating because of their commitment to breastfeeding and helping moms feel good about themselves.

Evymama is not just about feeling sexy while pregnant and breastfeeding, but that’s a big part of it. Owner Sarah LeMay-Kaplan launched the maternity and nursing apparel business with the idea that you should feel even more beautiful than usual when you’re a mom or mom-to-be.
LeMay-Kaplan found that the body image issues she struggled with pre-kids actually melted away with her first pregnancy. “I really came to appreciate how amazing and intricate my body was, and that confidence and love for myself and what I was capable of translated into an increased feeling of beauty and sexiness. What a revelation!”
Channeling the inner mother goddess begins differently for each woman. For some, overhauling the lingerie drawer with gorgeous maternity and nursing lingerie is the place to start. For others, it’s reading all the latest parenting books to gain that sexy confidence that comes with knowing what you’re doing and making informed choices.
Evymama is about honoring and respecting yourself and your metamorphosis into a beautiful mom and rejecting fear of stretch marks or labor and other made-up roadblocks to being the happy, whole, and complete mother you want to be, and doing it all with style and grace.
Find gorgeous maternity clothing and designer maternity jeans, beautiful nursing bras and nursing tops and dresses, stylish baby carriers, and pregnancy and breastfeeding-related accessories and books at evymama.ca online or in the company’s two Toronto boutiques. Free shipping to continental USA and Canadian addresses of orders over $300.

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Quote of the Day: Beyonce on Breastfeeding

2012-05-01T09:51:00.000-04:00

From this week's People magazine with Beyonce on the cover as the 2012 World's Most Beautiful Woman.

"I lost most of my weight from breastfeeding and I encourage women to do it; It's just so good for the baby and good for yourself."

A nod to the breastfeeding community and all of the kudos she got for nursing in public? I'd say so.

A good quote in a major magazine about breastfeeding from the world's biggest pop star. I'll take it.
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Beyonce Breastfed...... For 10 Weeks

2012-04-26T15:05:00.002-04:00

People magazine has selected Beyonce as their Most Beautiful Woman for 2012. It's not unexpected, as Bey is gorgeous and talented and has had an awesome year. Her album 4 was lauded by critics and of course, she became a mother in January. Celebrity moms are en vogue in a way they have been before. From bumpwatch to birth and breastfeeding, motherhood has made even the most D list celebrities household names. Hell we've all seen how motherhood resurrected the careers of many of the stars of our childhood like Mayim Bialik, Alyssa Milano and Soleil Moon Frye. Celeb moms write books and blogs, get new TV shows and papped at the park. So it's no surprise People would choose to celebrate Beyonce, a huge star who's become even more famous since becoming a mom.

Of course the biggest story surrounding Beyonce in the past few months has been her nursing daughter Blue Ivy in public. We all wondered if the gossip was indeed true. Could Beyonce really be breastfeeding?

Well, the news outlets must have gotten an advanced copy of the People magazine (it hits newsstands tomorrow) because E! featured this story today.

It seems Beyonce is being uncharacteristically candid and discussing breastfeeding. So there you have it from the horse's mouth: Beyonce breastfed. For 10 weeks.

So as breastfeeding advocates and black lactivists, how do you feel about this? Is it still a coup now that we know she only breastfed for a little over two months, and it would seem primarily as a means to lose weight? Is this still a win?

In many ways I think breastfeeding advocates can let the perfect be the enemy of the good. After Beyonce breastfed Blue, it was covered in all of the major outlets and EVERYONE on planet Earth was discussing breastfeeding for weeks. That's a score, in my opinion. But in many ways, this stings. We've held her up as a breastfeeding role model and now it feels like she never really was. She wanted to lose the 50 pounds she gained during her pregnancy as quickly as possible and she happily switched to formula at 10 weeks. It's not really the vision we had of her, right? I know many of us were hoping to see Beyonce breastfeed for at least 6 months exclusively. And how cool would it have been to have a toddler nursing Blue?

Of course it's none of our business how long Beyonce breastfed or why, but it is interesting that she didn't even make it to 12 weeks, just like the average mom in the US. Around the time that women return to paid work, breastfeeding dries up because even with workplace pumping accommodations, it's still hard to make breastfeeding and work WORK. So many of us, myself included, enjoy our work but still cried into our pillows when we had to pack our babies up and send them to daycare when our leave was over. Maybe we didn't want to stay home permanently, but we did want more time. At least 6 months or a year to be with our babies and nurse them and not have to struggle with pumping. And here's Beyonce, a woman like us who loves both her baby and her job, who could make the choices we can't.....yet didn't. She could take Blue everywhere and if a photoshoot ran long so she could breastfeed, who would complain? Most of us can't take our babies to work and if we are late because the baby needed to eat we could end up out on our asses.

It's kind of baffling to me that I live in a world where Mariah Carey breastfed twins longer than Bey breastfed, but I've had to repeat my new mantra over and over again since I heard the news: Not my body and not my baby. But if I'm being honest, I'm still a little annoyed.

So how are you feeling about Beyonce breastfeeding for 10 weeks?

Black moms needed to sign up for the Army of Women

2012-04-01T16:11:00.000-04:00

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you may have heard that I am working with Dr. Kathleen Arcaro of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst on her groundbreaking breastmilk and breast cancer study. Along with Tanya Lierberman, IBCLC of the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog and Kathi Barber, CLC and author of The Black Woman's Guide to Breastfeeding. We are specifically recruiting black moms to give a breastmilk sample to be analyzed in Dr. Arcaro's lab. The response from you all has been amazing and the milk samples are um, pouring in. Because of you, we are on our way to ensuring that this important breast cancer research represents ALL women. We will eventually need more of you to send in milk samples, but today I am asking you for a different, but just as important, favor.

I want all of my African American women readers, whether you're breastfeeding or not, to sign up for the Love/Avon Army of Women.

What's the Army of Women? It's an effort backed by Dr. Suan Love and the Avon Foundation to focus on breast cancer prevention. Great strides have been made in the treatment of breast cancer, but little progress has been made in preventing women from developing breast cancer in the first place. The Army of Women connects women with researchers so that they can participate in research (if they choose) to help us understand how to prevent breast cancer.

How does it work? You register and provide very basic information such as your name, email, age, city, and state of residence. You will then receive email updates from us announcing new research studies looking for volunteers with or without breast cancer, just like you. If you fit the criteria and you’d like to participate, all you need to do is “RSVP.” You will be asked to go through an online screening process to confirm you fit the criteria for the study. Throughout the process, you remain in complete control and you self select what you want to do! You will never be pressured to take part in any study. The decision to take part is yours—and yours alone.

The most important part is that when you fill out the registration form you check "breast milk study" when asked how you learned about the Army of Women.

Why are we looking for African American women? Researchers want to ensure that their findings apply to all women, and to do that they need a diverse pool of particpants for their studies. A good example is the current call for African American moms to participate in the Jewels in our Genes study, which is recruiting African American breast cancer survivors now.

What can you do? Please go to the Army of Women registration page and please select "breast milk study" when asked how you learned about the Army of Women. We thank you!

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Baby D Drops Review/Giveaway

2012-03-30T23:59:00.000-04:00

If you had a baby sometime since November of 2008, your pediatrician has probably recommended that you supplement your baby with 400 international units (IU) of Vitamin D per day. This new recommendation was published by the American Academy of Pediatrics after there were published reports of breastfed babies with Vitamin D deficiency rickets in the US. Yikes!

I knew very little about the importance of Vitamin D until I went for my yearly well woman exam in 2006 and my OB suggested I get my levels checked. He had begun doing his own research on the importance of Vitamin D and told me that every woman he'd checked so far had been pretty low, but that the black women's D levels had been abysmal. Black folks have more melanin so in the simplest terms it's harder for us to make Vitamin D from the sun because melanin is extra protection from those UV rays.

We talked about all of the ways that your health can suffer if you are deficient in Vitamin D and he told me his belief that Vitamin D deficiency was connected to everything from autism to preeclampsia and several types of cancer. He insisted I go down the hall immediately to Quest Labs and have my blood drawn for a check.

You can imagine I wasn't really expecting to be led into his office after my paper smear to discuss this, right? I left in a daze with the prescription for the blood work in my hand and went down the hall for my test. My results came in a little bit later. My Vitamin D level? 15. At that time, my doctor said he considered 32 "normal", although his personal belief was that it should be more like 50. So pretty bad any way you slice it (and remember I live in South Florida!!!). I began supplements that day and have continued over the years. As the years have gone by and I've done my own research, I increased my intake to about 5000 IU of Vitamin D a day.

For a really fantastic overview of Vitamin D and how it's made in the body and why it's particularly important for breastfeeding moms and babies, please read Diana Cassar-Uhl's My Thoughts on the Vitamin D Controversy. She wrote La Leche League's tear sheet on the topic and it breaks it down in a way that is easy to read and understand. You can also check out Dr. Carol Wagner's research on the topic.

I know some moms have bristled at the idea that their babies need a Vitamin D supplement, believing that as long as their levels were OK, their babies would be getting what they need through their breastmilk. I really do believe that breastmilk is the perfect food for babies, but after reading up on the topic I think, particularly for women of color, that a supplement is necessary. I really urge you to do your own research on the topic if you haven't already.

My pediatrician recommended supplementing my kids with the multivitamins you can buy at the grocery store that are made by the formula companies. No thanks. I knew that I wanted to give my babies a supplement that was Vitamin D and ONLY Vitamin D, and preferably not made by you-know-who.
One of my super smart Twitter friends recommended I check out a company called Ddrops out of Canada that made just such drops. She raved about them being easy to use as you only needed one drop for 400 IU. I decided to order them on Amazon. For some reason I placed my order I ended up with another brand of drops that were also only Vitamin D. This brand was a thick, oily liquid that came in a tiny vial with a dropper. The dropper had two markings, one that said 200 and one that said, 400 and instructions to use a "dropperful" with no information on what that dose was on the dropper or what it meant in terms of IU.

Needless to say, I was annoyed. I complained on Twitter about not being able to figure out the dose. The drops were expensive and when I finally asked my mom to bring me home a 1cc syringe from her job and saw how much I had to use for one dose, they became even less economical. Fail.

But being awesome, the Ddrops company contacted me on Twitter and asked if I would like to try their drops. Of course I said yes. They not only sent me the Baby DDrops for Aminah (400 IU per drop) but also the regular Ddrops 1000 IU for me.

This product could not be more fantastic. Before nursing, you turn the bottle over and put one drop on your nipple. Then you latch the baby on and voila! Baby gets her Vitamin D for the day. For my drops, I put 5 drops on top of my lunch to get my 5000 IU for the day. These drops are completely odorless and tasteless. No preservatives, no artificial coloring and gluten, soy, wheat, corn and dairy-free, for those of you whose babies have allergies. The dose drops out slowly so you really cannot overdo it. And if you're not breastfeeding, you can simply put the drop on your baby's pacifier (just be sure it's at a time, like naptime, when you can be fairly sure she'll suck for at least 30 seconds.) That's it. Could not be easier. I leave the bottle on my nightstand so I can give it to Aminah as I nurse her to sleep.

The DDrops company has offered to give THREE Blacktating readers their own bottle of Baby Ddrops so you can see how fantastic this product is for yourself.

Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only. Good luck!

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Leading Lady Nursing Bra Review

2012-03-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

If you had asked me for a recommendation for a nursing bra a few years ago, I would have told you to get a Bravado. They were my favorite bras and I lived in them throughout the three years I nursed Miles. After the company was bought out by Medela, I didn't feel as good recommending them. Medela is presently not meeting its obligations under the WHO Code and it's not looking like that will change anytime soon. I've been searching since for a fantastic nursing bra and I have found one that I really like.

I was surprised when I received an email from Leading Lady about reviewing their nursing bra because I'd never heard of the company. I thought I knew about all of the nursing bra brands, but apparently not! Leading Lady makes both nursing bras and regular bras for full figured women. As a breastfeeding mom who is not-quite-plus-sized, I know how hard it is to find bras that fit, are comfortable and easy to nurse in. Leading Lady's nursing bras come in sizes 34B to 48F,

Leading Lady sent me two bras to review: the Nursing Bralette sports bra and the Molded Seamless wirefree bra in black.

Now, y'all know I am not sporty and I don't know when the last time I exercised was, but I loved the sports bra. I mostly wear it to sleep or when lounging around the house. It's extremely comfortable and supportive and has cute lace detailing across the top and bottom. For those of you who exercise regularly, this would be a great bra to add to your collection. The nursing clasp is super easy to open, and unlike some other nursing bras, there is no additional "flap" on these bras. Once you open the clasp you are exposing your entire breast. This was true of both bras I tried. I prefer this version of the nursing bra because I find it easier to latch the baby on and much more convenient for pumping at work.

The Molded Seamless is what I wear to work. When it arrived I was taken aback and how gorgeous it is. It is silky and smooth and perfect for wearing under your professional attire. Molded bras tend to not be the most comfortable, but this one is great. It lifted the girls and made them look fantastic. This is not an easy task, as anyone who has birthed and breastfed two or more kids can tell you. It even gave me great cleavage. A+!

Besides great comfort and fit, another huge bonus for these bras is that they are very affordable and you can feel good supporting Leading Lady, a family-owned business for over 70 years.

My only complaint about the Leading Lady bras is one that is an issue with most of the major bra manufacturers: the lack of a flesh tone option for women of color. "Nude" bras are only nude for white women. I still have not found a great nursing bra in a color that could even marginally pass for "nude" for me so the search continues!

In the meantime I'll enjoy the new Spring 2012 collection, which will feature various bras in spring colors, including periwinkle, peacock and white leopard.

Leading Lady Nursing Bralette price for you: $24
Price for me: Free

Leading Lady Molded Seamless bra price for you:$30
Price for me: Free

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Beyonce, Blue, Breastfeeding & Blacktating

2012-03-14T10:50:00.000-04:00

Did you hear the good news? It seems Beyonce is indeed breastfeeding her newborn baby girl, Blue. A waiter tipped off celebrity magazine US Weekly that Beyonce nursed her baby while out to lunch with hubby Jay-Z. What started off as a blurb on a website for celeb gossip has taken the world by storm.

First there was the awful post on Hollyscoop, likening breastfeeding in public to being milked like a cow and slinging snot at the table. Of course the words "whipping them out" also appeared. For the first time in the history of the Internet, the comments on a breastfeeding in public post were full of win. Moms descended on the post, letting the author know that nursing at a restaurant is natural, legal and of course perfectly appropriate. The smackdown was so harsh the author eventually edited out the most offensive parts of the piece.

By the next day the story had been picked up by ABC News, who quoted veteran breastfeeding experts Drs. Ruth Lawrence and Alison Stuebe. There was even a quote from breastfeeding advocate Emma Kwasnica who you may know for spearheading the movement to get Facebook to stop deleting images of women breastfeeding their babies. Although I was thrilled with such mainstream coverage of Beyonce nursing in public, I was more than a bit confused as to why ABC decided to interview these three women.

Let's see, the hugest celebrity on the planet, who happens to be black, is breastfeeding in public and we interview three white women, one of whom isn't even American, and don't mention race. Color me confused.

So as I am apt to do, I took to Twitter to vent.

Shortly thereafter, Kimberly Sears Allers of Mochamanual.com, published a piece on the same topic. In her post, Dear White Women: Beyonce is OUR Breastfeeding Moment. Please Step Aside she writes,

Meanwhile, with all the news reports about Beyonce, and all the breastfeeding “advocates” talking about its impact on the nursing world, not one advocate mentioned the particular significance to black women–which is so striking since many claim to be interested in our breastfeeding plight.

Shame on you.

The "shame" didn't stop there. Not only did many breastfeeding advocates insist that Beyonce breastfeeding in public was just as much their moment as ours (it's not) they also allowed their fans to post offensive, borderline racist screed on their Facebook pages. Instead of our "allies" rushing to our defense, I was told it was my job to educate the ignorant (it's not) and that my time would be better spent defending the WHO Code instead of criticizing the breastfeeding community for not putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to conversations on race. You can imagine how well that went over.

Kimberly said there was no mainstream press that reached out to an African-American women for her perspective, but that's not true. Both Time and USA Today's writers quoted me for their pieces on Beyonce breastfeeding Blue Ivy (my words even made their way in the March 19, 2012 print edition of Time). Both writers underscored how huge this is for the black community because of our lower initiation rates, and the level of Beyonce's celebrity. This is way bigger than even Angelina Jolie actually breastfeeding on the cover of W magazine and we don't even have proof, photographic or otherwise, that it even happened!

There is no way to deny that Beyonce breastfeeding hasn't had a huge impact. There was an hours-long conversation on black Twitter about breastfeeding in public after these headlines. Yet I cannot tell you how many white advocates insist that it isn't a big deal, or at least shouldn't be. Strangely enough, whenever I see posts about other celebrities who are breastfeeding and are, let's face it, downright D list, I've seen nothing but praise. Even posts about Jenna Elfman haven't elicited any anti-Xenu snark, for God's sake. Yet it's all eye-rolls and move along, nothing to see here's when BEYONCE breastfeeds in a restaurant? Excuse me if I can't help but think that race is playing a part in the attitudes and responses from moms I've seen online.

Still, I'm thrilled. The past few weeks have been amazing for breastfeeding and I give Beyonce all the credit. This story got picked up in major black interest publications from The Grio to Vibe and Essence magazine. The comments that I saw on those pieces were so positive and encouraging. It was so wonderful to see our community rallying around our girl, and to hear from black moms about how much they loved breastfeeding their babies.

This week really showed black lactivists what this community thinks of us and the work we're doing. Because believe me, these folks are quick to trot out the the statistics on how low our breastfeeding rates our. If Beyonce had mixed a bottle of formula at that table, everyone would have come out of the woodwork to say how sad it was, but not surprising since she is black and this is a problem for us. But when she breastfeeds we aren't supposed to celebrate this as our moment?

Right.

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Breastfeeding Makes Strong Babies

2012-02-27T20:34:00.001-05:00

Although the city of Milwaukee has been villified (and rightly so) for their anti-bedsharing campaign that used images of babies in bed with dangerous items like butcher knives, I have to give props to this breastfeeding video put together by the city's newspaper.

Featuring the awesome Dalvery Blackwell, co-founder of the African-American Breastfeeding Network, this video highlights a program in Milkwaukee aimed at encouraging young African-American moms to initiate breastfeeding.

The video was put together as part of the Journal Sentinel Online's Empty Cradles feature, which covers the city's abysmal infant mortality rates. It's a huge problem for the city that has definitely reached epidemic proportions. From unsafe sleep sleep deaths and lack of breastfeeding to social problems like alcoholism and smoking, black babies in Milwaukee are definitely at an increased risk for death in the first year of life.

Hats off to Dalvery and the great work she is doing. I'm glad she is being recognized as she fights the good fight.

To watch the video, click here.

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New Breastfeeding Policy from the AAP

2012-02-27T13:11:00.000-05:00

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its breastfeeding policy statement, and the changes are quite significant. It now begings by stating that infant feeding is not a personal choice and should be considered a public health issue. The new statement reaffirms that babies should be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months and to 1 year minimum with complementary foods.

The statement abstract, posted below, even takes note of the importance of Baby Friendly hospital practices in increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration rates. This is a giant step in the right direction and a real game changer. What do you think of the new, more strongly worded statement?

Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. Given the documented short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding, infant nutrition should be considered a public health issue and not only a lifestyle choice. The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant. Medical contraindications to breastfeeding are rare. Infant growth should be monitored with the World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Curve Standards to avoid mislabeling infants as underweight or failing to thrive. Hospital routines to encourage and support the initiation and sustaining of exclusive breastfeeding should be based on the American Academy of Pediatrics-endorsed WHO/UNICEF “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.” National strategies supported by the US Surgeon General’s Call to Action, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and The Joint Commission are involved to facilitate breastfeeding practices in US hospitals and communities. Pediatricians play a critical role in their practices and communities as advocates of breastfeeding and thus should be knowledgeable about the health risks of not breastfeeding, the economic benefits to society of breastfeeding, and the techniques for managing and supporting the breastfeeding dyad. The “Business Case for Breastfeeding” details how mothers can maintain lactation in the workplace and the benefits to employers who facilitate this practice.

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Nurture-Elle Review & Giveaway

2012-02-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

Boy, the Canadians seem to really knock it out of the park when it comes to breastfeeding accessories, huh? From the Pump Ease to Bravado to Momzelle, Canadians seem to be creating some of the best products for nursing moms.

Another Candian company, Nurture-Elle, recently sent me one of their nursing tops to review and they are also offering a $25 credit to one Blacktating reader to use at their store.

The top I was sent the Cowl Neck Nursing Top in a gorgeous burgundy shade.

This top is really beautiful and doesn't even look like a nursing top! The great thing about the Nurture-Elle top is that it has a side access opening. Instead of a traditional opening right above the breast, this opening is off to the side in an attached under layer.

This is an excellent top for moms who are at all nervous about breastfeeding in public. When I nurse in this top, absolutely nothing shows and you can even use the layers in the cowl neck for extra coverage.

The fabric is 90% viscose, 10% spandex which means that it's nice and loose and stretchy and very flattering. The color of the top is also super vibrant! I wear this top all the time and have washed it again and again and it still looks as good as the day that I got it.

Price for you? $45
Price for me? Free.

Want to win a $25 gift card to Nurture-Elle? Simply leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite product is on the Nurture-Elle site. For additional entries, please use the Rafflecopter widget below.
Even if you don't win, everyone can get $7 off their puchase with coupon code BLACKTATING.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My Ad Rates Just Went Up

2012-02-11T12:35:00.001-05:00

Blacktating was mentioned on TMZ on TV the other night as a resource for information on breastfeeding. They were obviously on my Breast Milk: Breakfast of Champions post, where I discussed various famous athletes who were breastfed and who breastfed their own kids. They had a good natured laugh at the name of my blog and even said Blacktating three times! This is so cool and might be the highlight of my blogging career. Check out the (edited) clip below!

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Does Your Pump Talk to You?

2012-02-08T12:44:00.001-05:00

I had heard women say before that their pumps talked to them. I never noticed it with Miles but this time around the pump has a lot to say.

I'm traveling for work today and pumping in one of my employees' offices. My pump keeps saying, "Stay home! Stay home! Stay home!" Last week as I watched the drips barely coat the bottom of the bottle it kept saying, "You suck! You suck! You suck!"

Does your pump talk to you? And is she as much of a bitch as mine is?

Blame it on the b-b-b-b-breastfeeding

2012-02-03T15:39:00.001-05:00

I took a picture of the giant ball of hair that I combed out of my head in the shower but it's too disgusting to post. I knew that postpartum hair loss was a "thing" but it didn't really happen to me with Miles. Or at least I never really noticed anything beyond my normal shedding. But this time it's pretty bad. I mean, even my edges look crazy. Like, my baby hair got thinner. It's awful but normal in that it happens to many of us and "this too shall pass," blah blah blah.

So imagine my surprise when I complained about this and someone told me, "Oh it's because of the breastfeeding." Of course that's not true, it happens to many women whether they breastfeed or formula feed from day one but I found it interesting that breastfeeding was deemed the culprit. Maybe it's because the hair loss generally abates around 3 months and that's when many women stop breastfeeding. Or maybe it's just one of the long litany of ills that gets blamed on breastfeeding.

I recently read an advice column written by a popular blogger where she called postpartum night sweats "the breastfeeding sweats." I've heard from a lot of women who say that because milk ducts are modified sweat glands that nursing is to blame for waking up soaking wet for weeks after giving birth. The problem is that that's not true. Hormones are to blame for postpartum night sweats and again, many of us suffer through them. Your body has to get rid of those extra pregnancy fluids somehow and no, moms who choose not to breastfeed don't get a pass here either.

But isn't it funny how breastfeeding always gets the blame for these things?

Problems in your marriage after the birth of your baby? It's because you're breastfeeding.
Run down and exhausted from caring for a little one? It's because you're breastfeeding.
Baby allergic to any foods? It's because you're breastfeeding.
Baby wants to be held all the time? It's because you're breastfeeding.
Kid has cavities? It's because you're breastfeeding.
Suffering from PPD? It's because you're breastfeeding.
Baby not sleeping through the night? Yup.....It's because you're breastfeeding.

I've heard almost everything get blamed on breastfeeding, including body aches and pains for mom, fat babies, skinny babies, cranky babies, even medical diagnoses for everything from autism to diabetes. Heck, according to some, breastfeeding your boy child can even make him gay.

I'd love to hear your stories if you have them. What does breastfeeding get the blame for in your life?

Pumpin Ain't Easy

2012-01-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Most moms eventually return to work and with the sad 12 week leave (or less) that most of us are entitled to in the US, if you plan on breastfeeding for the recommended first year of life you're going to need a pump.

There are tons of blog posts, books, forums and websites dedicated to giving moms tips on how to combine breastfeeding with work. Make sure you buy a good double electric pump! Always keep extra storage bags and pump parts at work! Here's how to talk to your boss about setting up a space for you to pump! These bottles are best for breastfed babies and don't forget the slow flow nipples! Wow, pumping at work is now protected by law! And on and on and on.

What is implied in these blog posts and message boards and websites is that if you do it right and have all the accoutrements, that you can totally work full time outside of the home and continue to breastfeed your baby. I'm here to tell you that is a lie. Even under the best conditions, with a supportive boss and co-workers, a door that locked on my own office, hell, even being the boss myself! and owning top of the line breast pumps and even renting a hospital grade pump..... I couldn't pump successfully.

This lie that breast pumps quickly, easily and efficiently put milk into bottles is so pervasive that every mom asks for a pump on her baby registry and everyone assumes she will use it so her husband/partner/mom can give the baby a bottle. Many women who find the idea of breastfeeding icky say they'll just pump and give the baby breast milk in a bottle.

Thirty minutes of hard work pumping BOTH breasts

Let me let you in on a secret: pumps don't magically suck out all of the milk from your breasts. YOU have to actually have a letdown for the pump to extract the milk. And many women simply cannot letdown for a machine the way they can for their own sweet baby. This means that you can have a full milk supply and not pump enough for your baby. It also means your supply will diminish over time because you are not removing enough milk, but in the meantime you can suffer from plugged ducts and mastitis until your supply regulates. No pump is as efficient as your baby but for some women the pump is practically worthless.

And before you say, "You should hand express!" let me stop you and say I cannot for the life of me figure out how hand expression works. I've watched all the videos and I've never been able to get more than a few drops out that way.

How did we get here? How did we get to a place where everyone assumes pumping is easy and of course they will be able to maintain a full supply when they return to work? Almost every woman I know has really struggled to maintain breastfeeding while working and the main reason is they couldn't pump at work what their baby needed at daycare. Some did OK until the infamous "six month slump" but many, like me, found their supplies dwindled down to nothing in mere weeks.

With Miles I barely made it two months before he was almost exclusively getting formula at daycare. Thankfully I was able to take advantage of my employer's generous 6 month leave so he was nearly nine months old and so in love with breastfeeding that my boobs still made enough milk to nurse in the morning and before bed. He was sleeping through the night but got a bottle or two of formula a day in addition to solid foods and nursing a few times on the weekends. It wasn't ideal and I was annoyed but he went on to nurse for 3 years and overall I think he got mostly mama milk for the first year and I'm OK with how things turned out.

But Aminah isn't even four months old and I have no freezer stash and we are already having to supplement. She is nowhere near sleeping through the night and we haven't started solids. My supply is slowing down and I can easily see her being fully formula fed by 6 months. That is NOT OK with me. It's actually beyond fucked up. I do not want my baby getting formula when, if she were with me there'd be no need for it. I make plenty of milk for her and she's happy and healthy. I don't want to have to get up in the middle of the night to fix bottles, I don't want to jeopardize her health with formula at such a young age and I don't want her rejecting the breast for the bottle, even if I could pump enough for her which I can't.

If she ends up being a formula fed baby I won't feel guilty but I will feel angry. Who decided that we should be fighting for the right to pump at work instead of fighting for paid maternity leave? And who keeps perpetuating the myth that every woman can pump and provide milk for her baby? You can do everything "right" and still end up failing. And THAT'S what truly sucks.

Louisville Black Breastfeeding PSAs

2012-01-27T21:28:00.000-05:00

The city of Louisville, KY has created four new breastfeeding PSA as part of its Mayor's Healthy Hometown Movement "Good for your body, great for EVERYbody" campaign. The aim is to make Louisville one of the healthiest cities in the country, a lofty goal. The PSAs focus on one family and show the benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby, and how dads and grandmas can support mom to make breastfeeding successful. You can check out all of the videos below.

It looks like they took a page out of the etrade baby commercials playbook to create the ads. I like that the city understands the importance of breastfeeding in creating a healthier community. I'm sure some people may criticize them for showing bottlefeeding in the "Big Momma" and "Dad" breastfeeding videos, and encouraging moms to use covers when nursing in public, but I think the reality is that most moms do return to work and use bottles and many moms don't feel comfortable breastfeeding in public without some sort of cover up. And no matter how many times breastfeeding advocates say it's not true, most people still think dads and grandmas need to give the baby a bottle in order to bond with her. Many people still believe breastfeeding in public is nasty, with or without a cover, so I like the message that it's perfectly natural. Since we know how important support is from partners and mothers, particularly in the black community, I think the ads work well. I like the promotion of breastfeeding as a family affair, because moms really do need to be encouraged and supported by loved ones if they are going to breastfeed successfully. So what do you think of these ads? Thumbs up or down?

*Hat tip to The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog for the heads up about these videos

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Is Beyonce Breastfeeding?

2012-01-18T14:38:00.003-05:00

On the red carpet at the recent BET Honors show in DC, Beyonce's former Destiny's Child bandmate Michelle was interviewed and of course she was asked about baby Blue.

“We’ve been doing everything, whatever [Beyonce] needs," said Williams. Though there is one thing the ladies can’t help their superstar friend with. “No breastfeeding,” joked Williams. “Ain’t no milk coming out.”

Beyonce breastfeeding? It sounds like she is! Here's hoping she confirms soon, as it will be the culmination of every black lactivist's wet dreams.

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Eric Benet: Lactivist

2012-01-10T13:53:00.000-05:00

Eric Benet recently tweeted this beautiful image of his wife breastfeeding their newborn daughter, Lucia. The caption is "Lucia says 'peace!' for the first time!"

© Eric Benet

What a sweet baby. Mine tend to give me the finger.

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Momzelle Nursing Top Review & Giveaway

2012-01-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

Back when I was pregnant, Blacktating sponsor and all-around wonderful company Momzelle sent me a cute nursing top to review on the blog. This was my first ever piece of nursing clothing, if you can believe it. With Miles I was totally clueless and bought a couple decent nursing bras and just nursed from the top of my shirt whenever I needed to. By the time I realized there was even such a thing as nursing tops and dresses, I was a pro at nursing in public and didn't think I needed any special clothing.

Now of course, this is still true. You really DON'T need to buy special clothing in order to breastfeed in public. But damn if it doesn't make it so much easier! Since getting a few nursing tanks and tops, I don't know how I ever did without them. They just make everything so much easier and convenient and lots of brands like Momzelle make stuff that's so cute you can wear it while pregnant and after your nursing days are long over (yes, I rocked my Momzelle top while pregnant. It was so comfy and stretchy and *still* looks good, 7 months later).

Momzelle sent me their v-neck t-shirt in Dahlia, a beautiful plum.

I'm short so this length was perfect for me, but if you're a tall girl they do come in Xtra long. See how flattering this top is in the tummy area? (And bless you, Momzelle, for using a model who actually looks like she gave birth and is indeed breastfeeding). I am a US size 14 and got a size Large which was perfect for me (and like I said, I wore it throughout my pregnancy as well and only at the very end did the nursing openings begin to show because of my big belly and I had to put it back in the drawer). When I am nursing in my Momzelle top I feel completely covered and find access to the breast is easy with the generous nursing openings.

Momzelle also makes tanks, long-sleeve tops, dresses, nightgowns and bands that can be used to cover up your tummy under any regular shirt to make nursing a breeze. Besides their great products, you can feel good about buying from Momzelle because they really do care about breastfeeding mothers. Christine, the mom behind the brand, regularly donates to support breastfeeding causes, including giving nursing tops to low income teen moms.

Want to treat yourself to something from the Momzelle store? Momzelle is offering one Blacktating reader a $25 gift card to the store. This giveaway is open to all and everyone can take $5 off any Momzelle order with coupon code BLACKTATING.

Please use the Rafflecopter widget to enter and leave your comments below!

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2011 Celebrity Breastfeeding Round Up

2012-01-05T14:01:00.001-05:00

2011 was a celebrity baby bonanza! I could barely keep up with all of the bump watches, eventual confirmations and new bundles of joy! 2011 was also a banner year for black celebrity breastfeeding, with some of my favorites being very vocal about their nursing experiences.

First up was Laila Ali who gave birth to daughter Sydney in April. She gave a fantastic interview to Best for Babes on having a natural birth, and losing weight in a healthy manner while breastfeeding.

Shortly after, the Queen Diva Mariah Carey gave birth to twins Monroe and Moroccan. Of course there had to be extra drama surrounding Mimi's nursing experience. Apparently someone at the hospital called Child Protective Services after Mariah was spotted having a Guiness to help with milk production on the advice of a nurse. We found out later during a 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters that Mariah nursed the twins for three months.

In May, Ananda Lewis welcomed a baby boy at home and tweeted about using cloth diapers and breastfeeding. Look out for the video of her homebirth, which she's currently editing.

Tia Mowry welcomed son Cree in June and gushed about breastfeeding all over the place! Although Tia was hoping for a natural birth, she ended up with a c-section because Cree was breech. Thankfully breastfeeding worked out and Tia has even combined nursing with working by pumping. Remember when she forced twin sister Tamera to taste her milk? Hilarious!

Finally, actress Essence Atkins gave birth to her first son on Christmas Day. She recently sat down with Essence magazine and told them her son Varro is a breastfeeding champ. "He knew what to do from the moment they put him on me!" she joked.

So what black celebrities can we look forward to seeing breastfeed in 2012? Perhaps now that she's married and an aunt, Tamera Mowry will follow in her twin sister's footsteps and get pregnant this year. Newlywed singers Monica Brown and Keyshia Cole are also likely suspects. And as prolific as Swizzy has been, it's probably time for Alicia Keys to pop out another one.

Of course the world is waiting with baited breath for the birth of the heir to throne. Rumor has it that Beysus may have already given birth to The Golden Child and that we may catch a glipse of the babe on Monday. Of course if Beyonce decides to breastfeed and is vocal about how great it is, I think it will be a HUGE boon for black breastfeeding. I guess we shall see soon.......

The Best of Blacktating 2011

2011-12-31T14:37:00.001-05:00

Here are my favorite posts from this year, in no particular order. Looking forward to another year of exploring the issues surrounding breastfeeding with you.

New Breastfeeding Photos from the Indiana Black Breastfeeding Association: these stunning photos are in the public domain so YOU are free to use them too (just email me and I'm happy to send you the entire collection).

The Social Network: on how other parents influence our parenting and hov this impacts breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Superstars: a fantastic short film on moms who've overcome serious challenges in order to breastfeed.

Michelle Obama and the "Choice" to Breastfeed: in which I argue that breastfeeding is not a choice.

CDC 2011 Breastfeeding Report Card: important, although the statistics are a constant source of frustration.

The Natural Trend: Is Breastfeeding Next?: on the influence of the natural hair movement on breastfeeding in the black community.

The Sweet Release: on my daughter's tongue tie and getting that sucker clipped!

Nursing in Public Bingo: because the ignorant comments never get old (or change for that matter).

Baby-Friendly Hospitals will Improve Black Breastfeeding Rates: why implementing the ten steps is especially important for black omen and babies.

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Breastfeeding in a Healthcare Setting

2011-12-06T19:12:00.001-05:00

In the moments after my daughter was born, when I was blissed out on finally being able to hold my newborn skin-to-skin, my mother-in-law pointed out that she had "something" on her ear. Because Aminah was lying on my chest I couldn't see anything but my midwife looked over and said, "Oh yeah, she has a little skin tag on her ear. Usually they say something on the ear can signify an issue with the kidneys because they develop at the same time in utero. It's probably nothing but your pediatrician may want to run some tests." Yeah, not exactly what you want to hear literally three minutes after giving birth. My midwife was right, though. At our first visit my pediatrician noticed the tag right away and wrote me a script for a renal ultrasound. She said she didn't think anything was wrong with her kidneys but she preferred to err on the side of caution.

Unfortunately the ultrasound showed there was slight hydronephrosis, or swelling in the kidney, on the right side. My pediatrician gave me a referral to see a pediatric nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in kidneys. He recommended repeating the test at the hospital he is affiliated with since it had been four weeks since the first ultrasound, so I made yet another appointment to take my baby to the hospital.

The tech who performed the ultrasound was AMAZING. The first thing she did when we got in the room was apologize for the wait because they try to expedite the pediatric patients. I asked her if I should strip Aminah down to her diaper, as I'd done at the first ultrasound at the other hospital and she said no. Aminah was sleeping peacefully and it was cold in there so I just removed her pants. The tech even used warm gel so as not to jar the baby. Even with being very gentle, Aminah did wake up because the tech had to press on her belly to take pictures of her bladder. Aminah started to fuss and the tech turned to me and said, "Go ahead and breastfeed her, it'll help keep her nice and calm during the exam."

RECORD SCRATCH. Now, I've been a mom for four years and have taken my kids to the doctor a million times for various procedures and never has a healthcare provider suggested I nurse to keep my baby calm during an exam or shot or anything. Sure, I nurse openly in my peditrician's waiting room or in the exam room while we talk, but during exams or procedures? Never. In fact, a nurse at my pediatrician's office yelled at me for breastfeeding Miles before his first vaccine because he would cry after the shot and then throw up, didn't I know that? So I'm embarrassed to say I've never done it, even when I've thought about it and wanted to.

I didn't just love that this woman encouraged me to nurse, but that she also didn't ask if I was breastfeeding, she just assumed that I was. As many black women will tell you, people typically assume we're not breastfeeding or don't want to breastfeed. So to be recognized as a breastfeeding mom was HUGE.

Afterwards the tech told me Aminah was a great patient because sometimes even at the breast some babies just hate the wand and are super fussy. I thanked her for being so great and made a mental note to write her supervisor and let her know how awesome she was.

The good news is Aminah is just fine and whatever was going on with her kidney resolved on its own. Her second ultrasound showed two perfect kidneys.

But I'm curious to hear from you......what have your experiences been breastfeeding your babies in a healthcare setting?

The culprit behind all this drama!

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My 5-week-old

2011-11-10T09:13:00.000-05:00

Aminah is five weeks old today! According to BabyCenter......

Your baby's neck muscles are getting stronger, which allows her to hold her head up for short periods.

Yup, Aminah is taking after big brother Miles here and has been holding her head up since day one. My kids have tiny peanut heads which probably makes this easier for them. Still, she holds her head up like a champ and has super strong muscles (she has also been scooting since birth....put her down on the bed and she will scoot away!)

Smiling happens at about the same time in all cultures, so get ready for your baby to reward all your loving care with a beaming, toothless, just-for-you smile. This will probably make your heart melt, even if you've just had your worst night yet.

She is making us work hard for them, but yes, she smiles. The surefire way to get her to grin is to hold up a mirror to her face! #diva #wereintrouble

Your baby may start sleeping longer at night (maybe four to six hours) some time between 6 weeks and 6 months of age. Most sleep experts suggest putting your baby to bed while she's still awake, but drowsy. This will help her learn to fall asleep on her own.

Hahahahhaha! Hahahahahaha! A six hour stretch at night? Not on your life! Go to sleep on her own? Riiiiiiiight! This girl wants nothing but to be held by mommy. She wakes up at night if I even think about taking my boob out of her mouth. I don't foresee this changing any time soon.

Your baby is learning that she has hands and fingers and feet and toes. She's also starting to talk more. Not with words, of course, but by cooing — with increasing goos, gurgles, and grunts. This marks the beginning of her language development.

Aminah discovered her hands a few weeks ago and she will wave them around and stare at them for a few minutes every now and then. So far her feet don't interest her (although she does love to kick them while nursing). She is talking to us more now and especially loves when we sing to her. She also lets us know when she's not happy. This girl can SCREAM.

But who could resist this face?

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The Children's Place Holiday Collection & Giveaway

2011-11-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

It's no secret how much I love shopping at The Children's Place. They produce quality clothing for kids that is cute and stylish and, best of all, really lasts. I have been lucky enough to get invited to shop their new collections every season, and a few weeks ago I headed to one of their stores in Miami to check out the holiday duds.

Now, as you may recall, I went two weeks past my due date and in the final days before I went into labor, I spent a lot of time walking in the mall. I ducked into The Children's Place and fell in love with the little girl holiday party dresses. I wished I had a bigger girl to shop for because not only were the dresses beautiful but reasonably priced (they have been killing it with the sales lately!)

I finally got to take my time and look through all of the new fashions during their media shopping event. It was my first outing after Aminah was born and as I was only two weeks postpartum I had my husband tag along. It was definitely a bit tricky getting out of the house with such a tiny baby. We ended up having to stop twice during the long ride to Miami so I could nurse her and change her diaper. She fell asleep right as we arrived so I was able to concentrate on the shopping at hand!

I ended up picking out matching outfits for Miles and Aminah to wear to services at the holidays. Although I loved the "Fur, fun and fabulous" collection

and the florals

I decided to dress the kids in perfect plaids.

The entire holiday collection is so cute and fun, and filled with lots of sparkly shoes, leggings and headbands for the girls. The boys collection has classic pieces like blazers, vests, plaid shirts and striped sweaters. You can't go wrong at The Children's Place, whether you're shopping for your own kids or picking up gifts.

The Children's Place was nice enough to offer a $25 gift card to a Blacktating reader. Enter the giveaway below with Rafflecopter. If you're new to Rafflecopter, watch a video here on how to use it to enter giveaways.

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