Choosing to Breastfeed

Choosing to breastfeed is one of the most beneficial decisions a new mother can make for her baby, herself, and even her family. Breastmilk is the most perfect infant food, sustaining the baby’s health and nourishment single-handedly for the first six months of life. The physical and emotional benefits remain with the baby throughout his life.

Breastfeeding is also the best way for mom to help her post-pregnancy body and mind. The breastfeeding relationship is beneficial to her health, her parenting, and her baby. The family unit benefits from breastfeeding as well.
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Vitamin K/Vitamin K Deficiency of the Newborn

Vitamin K is synthesized in the gut, and is responsible for (among many things) the clotting of blood. Compared to adult levels, all babies are born with a “deficiency” of vitamin K. This is the way ALL babies are made, and there is likely a very good reason for it. One possible reason is that because vitamin K helps cells multiply (like as the baby is forming and growing), a surplus of vitamin K might contribute to the overgrowth of cells which we have come to know as cancer. In any case, should we be supplementing a newborn’s body with an overload of any vitamin or mineral? What might the long term effects of this be?
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My Thoughts on Vitamin K

When considering the vitamin K shot for a newborn, it is wise to look at the facts and evidence out there before making a decision. I believe that this, like any standard protocol, must be questioned and understood as fully as possible by the parents.

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about the AAP recommended vitamin K shot at birth.
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Breastfeeding Tips

Nursing is the best way to feed your baby, and the benefits you will both get from this relationship are numerous! But if you think breastfeeding is a piece of cake, don’t be discouraged when it proves to be harder than it looks. Educate yourself ahead of time by reading books and talking to other nursing moms. Here are just a few pointers to get you started in the right direction-
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Leave Your Son’s Penis Alone:

Well, I’ve spent the past week researching circumcision in order to be able to present accurate information and “informed consent” to the expecting parents I work with. I’ve done this with many issues so far, and I really do try to present as unbiased a presentation as possible. I myself have 3 children, and I have personally been through the major decisions, like where to birth and whether or not to vaccinate. And although I feel strongly about both of these issues, I can understand that different people come to different conclusions for their own lives, and I have to respect that.
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Breastfeeding Success: One thing every mother needs…

If I had a penny for every time I heard a woman with a new baby say that she didn’t have enough milk to breastfeed, or that the baby was too demanding and she couldn’t keep up, I’d be rich.

Now I’m not saying this is the woman’s fault necessarily. We have come to birth and raise our children in this culture that wants to push them away, on the road to independence before they are past infancy. I can’t solve all of these problems (though I might try) but I do have the most fantastic “product” that you just must have if you want to succeed at breastfeeding.
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“Permission” to Be Postpartum

I love being pregnant, but I have this almost dread about postpartum. It used to seem like a bad word to me, being forced out into the world as a “normal” (non-pregnant) person again, with leaking breasts and even more responsibility than before.

Third time’s a charm, I guess, because I am loving this post-pregnancy time right now. For me, it was realizing I need to view it differently, and use my resources (both past experience and all the new things I am learning now) to really turn things around and find a way to love this time.
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