Born to be Breastfed

Legislation has been passed to give American mothers 12 weeks of maternity leave (1993) and private mothering rooms (2010). However, legislation alone is not enough to provide the support that breastfeeding mothers need when they return to the workplace. Three factors continue to undermine breastfeeding mothers: lack of a private place for pumping, supervisor and coworker concern about reduced worktime and interrupted productivity, and coworker resentment about mothers taking “breaks.” Join Marie and her guests. Jie Zhuang, PhD and Joanne Goldbort RN PhD, as they describe how 25% of male and female colleagues create barriers though stigmatizing, focusing on the “ick” factor, and perceiving unfairness when working with breastfeeding colleagues. Consider how normalizing pumping/feeding at work, educating, and providing appropriate space is necessary, but not sufficient. Get some tips for how to get—or give—practical support for breastfeeding in the workplace.

Are you a Tricare beneficiary? Are you aware that your Tricare policy may cover some or most of the costs of banked human milk for your baby? Join Marie and her guest, doula and retired second lieutenant Kari Haravitch as they help you to understand what this new benefit could mean for you or your baby, and what questions you should be asking. Learn the many details about what is and is not covered. Who is eligible to receive banked donor milk under the new Tricare policy? What conditions must be met? What is covered? How long does the coverage last? How much will families pay out of pocket for this benefit? What about if you’re overseas? What about if you adopted your baby? Where does the Human Milk Banking Association of North America fit into this discussion? Listen as Marie and Kari answer all of these and more questions. You might run into some limitations, but you’ll know how to ask the right questions about getting banked donor milk for your baby.

Okay, so you know bariatric surgery is in your future—or maybe it’s already in your past. But you’re not entirely sure how or if your nutritional status pre- or post-surgery can affect your milk composition or volume. You know “breast is best” but maybe you’re worried that your milk won’t be good enough for your baby. No worries, help is here. Join Marie and her guest, dietitian Allison Childress PhD, RDN, CSSD, LD, who has had extensive experience working with breastfeeding mothers after bariatric surgery. Get a list of questions to ask before and after your procedure, learn research-based answers about what does or doesn’t make a difference to your post-bariatric milk, what you can do to optimize your milk, as well as early warning signs if your milk is nutrient-deficient. Plus, get simple time-saving tips on how get those needed nutrient-dense calories. Take control of your situation to provide the best nutrition to your baby without compromising your own nutritional status.

There are many ways to seek support, and many ways to provide support. One type of support, mother-to-mother support, has been repeatedly shown to help breastfeeding mothers meet their goals. That’s a great result. But what’s the experience when seeking or providing such support? Join Marie and her guest, Rebecca Ruhlen, PhD, IBCLC, an anthropology professor at Davidson University, and a member of the Board of Directors of Breastfeeding USA, as they discuss breastfeeding support from a sociocultural perspective. Maybe you’ve asked yourself: What is a mother-to-mother support meeting? What if I don’t like meetings? Are there any online meetings? What if I don’t identify as a mother—is there are place for me in such groups? Might a different time, a different location, or a different leader be more helpful for me? What’s the difference between La Leche League and Breastfeeding USA? Can volunteers give quality support? Get the answers to these questions and more in this episode.

You may have already figured out that having a new baby during military service brings up some issues you would not have encountered in civilian life. You might need to deal with giving birth while your spouse is deployed half-way around the world. Or, you might find yourself giving birth in a hospital where staff speak a language or have birth practices different from your own. How can you get help? Join Marie and her special guests, DONA-certified birth doula Amanda Dodson and postpartum doula Kari Haravitch, both having served in the military. Kari explains how families value her ability to help them make the transition to parenthood, while Amanda gives a behind-the-scenes description of starting a business and an educational facility in Okinawa. Whether you’re a parent or a doula, whether you’re military or civilian, you’ll want to hear how the role and creativity of the doula can be a game-changer for you and your family.