Epige-WHAT?!?! Why It Matters For Your Milk and Your Baby

01/25/16 • 56 min

The science of epigenetics tells us that environmental factors can influence our genes or genetic development. Breastmilk is well-known for its ability to prevent illness and disease (e.g., necrotizing enterocolitis, infectious diseases, and more.) Nutrition in early life—such as whether a child receives his mother’s milk or an artificial formula—may affect which genes are activated and, ultimately, overall health. Tune in as Marie talks with pediatrician and breastfeeding specialist Dr. Jenny Thomas about how breastfeeding and genes work together to support your baby’s health, and how the decision about what you feed your baby may be important for future generations as well. Questions? Marie is always available via e-mail to [email protected]

Previous Episode

What to Expect During the First Six Weeks

Pregnancy is a time of waiting—with great excitement—for the arrival of your new baby. It’s also a time of preparing, filling out baby gift registries and thinking about details like where baby will sleep, what kind of baby carrier will work best, and whether you will need a breast pump. In U.S. society, new mothers aren’t encouraged to think about what the weeks after birth will mean for themselves, physiologically and emotionally. Yet the first six weeks—often all that many mothers can take of maternity leave—are vital for bonding with your baby, and for your baby’s development. Join Marie as she talks with Dr. Cheryl Zauderer, author if Maternity Leave: A New Mother’s Guide to the First Six Weeks Postpartum (Praeclarus Press, 2015), about what happens during the first six weeks, to help new and expectant mothers feel ready and put their minds at ease. Questions? E-mail [email protected]

Next Episode

Top Five Concerns About Pumping

So many women have questions and concerns about pumping milk. Whether it's an unplanned and unfortunate circumstance, such as pumping for a premature baby who is unable to suckle, or a planned circumstance, such as visiting a relative or returning to paid employment, mothers seem to have the same or very similar concerns. While mothers have often had fairly good instruction on the technique of operating a pump and successfully using it to express their milk, they seem to have a long line of questions about why their volume of milk isn't what they had expected, how to multi-task and pump on a busy or fixed schedule, myths and facts about using a friend's pump, how to prevent or solve the problem of sore nipples when pumping, and how to wean from the pump. Join Marie Biancuzzo as she tackles these concerns and give you the answers you need!