Think breastfeeding discrimination is wrong? Take action!

February 8th, 2012

ABC News recently reported on Texas mom, Donnicia Venters, who was fired from her job at a debt collection agency in 2010 after requesting time to use the bathroom to pump at work. Ms. Venters sued her employer for discrimination under title VII of the Civil Rights Act, but the judge ruled against her stating, “lactation is not a pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.”

While the argument that breastfeeding is somehow unrelated to childbirth might seem absurd to anyone with a basic understanding of human biology, unfortunately this case is not unique. In 2009, Ohio courts ruled against LaNisa Allen, who was terminated from her position at Totes/Isotoner for “insubordination” after taking unscheduled restroom breaks to pump. According to the ruling:

[Women] who give birth and choose not to breastfeed or pump their breasts do not continue to lactate for five months. Thus, Allen’s condition of lactating was not a condition relating to pregnancy but rather a condition related to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding discrimination does not constitute gender discrimination.

Breastfeeding discrimination does not constitute gender discrimination. Think about that for a second. Right now, the United States offers no federal protection for breastfeeding and pumping moms in the workplace.

Image courtesy of PumpEase

What about the Fair Labor Standards Act?

In 2010, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was amended to provide non-exempt employees with reasonable break times and a private, non-bathroom space in which to express milk.  Unfortunately FLSA does not apply to most salaried employees so millions of teachers, executives and non-hourly workers do not receive any protection under the law.  Furthermore, the law does not protect against workplace discrimination nor does it include an enforcement provision, so it’s unclear how or if an employer would be penalized for failing to comply. Attorney Jake Aryeh Marcus has written more about the shortcomings of the workplace pumping provision at Sustainable Mothering.

Take Action!

Last year, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and House Representative Carolyn B. Maloney introduced the Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2011(H.R. 2758, S. 1463). This legislation would protect breastfeeding moms by:

  • Protecting Breastfeeding under Civil Rights Law ensuring women cannot be fired or discriminated against in the workplace for expressing milk or breastfeeding during lunch or breaks.
  • Expanding the Breastfeeding Provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act to Cover Salaried Office Workers:  The expansion would cover an additional approximate 13.5 million executive, administrative, and professional women in the workplace.

Right now this bill is still in the initial steps of the legislative process (you can check status here), so there’s still time to ask your Representative and Senators to support the Breastfeeding Promotion Act and stop breastfeeding discrimination in the workplace. The US Breastfeeding Committee has written a sample letter that makes it really easy for you to contact your Members of Congress.

For more information about breastfeeding rights in the United States, visit www.breastfeedinglaw.com.

 

 

 

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Help Get a Google Doodle Promoting Breastfeeding!

January 30th, 2012

 

We’re always excited to hear about creative ways to promote breastfeeding, so we loved this idea from a member of the Breastfeeding Task Force of Santa Clara asking Google to create a “Google Doodle” in support of breastfeeding.

What’s a Google Doodle? Google has a team of artists, known as the Doodlers, who make changes to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, causes, and important events. They’ve created over 1000 designs commemorating a wide range of events from Lucille Ball’s Birthday to the Anniversary of PacMan. A doodle in support of breastfeeding could be a fun way to promote breastfeeding to the millions of people who visit Google every day.

To lend your voice of support, send an email to proposals@google.com. Here’s a sample email:

Dear Google Doodlers,

We, the breastfeeding support and promotion community, would be delighted to have a doodle for World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August 2012. World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year in over 176 countries around the world, and this year marks the 20th anniversary.

Thanks for considering this proposal.

Would you like to see a breastfeeding doodle?  Do you think it could help bring positive attention to breastfeeding?

 

 

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MamaPear Designs New Year’s Giveaway

January 4th, 2012

A few months ago the Hygeia team attended the ABC Kids Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. The ABC Expo is one of our favorite annual events with hundreds of companies showing the latest innovations in children’s and baby products. We love meeting with retail stores from across the country as well as other companies supporting moms and babies.

This year we wanted a fresh look for the show, so we called MamaPear Designs to create t-shirts for the Hygeia team. MamaPear Designs makes “lactivist inspired wearables for moms and babies” with fun designs and slogans that we knew would help us to stand out at a busy event. Mama Pear’s founder (and nursing mom) Lara made us two eye-catching designs, including this “Peace. Love. Breastfeeding” t-shirt.

 

Kate, Lara, and Sylvia in front of the Hygeia booth at the ABC Expo

 

We loved our MamaPear Designs t-shirts so much that we wanted to kick off 2012 by sharing the love with all of you! We’re giving away a MamaPear Designs prize package that includes a “Peace. Love. Breastfeeding” t-shirt like the one we wore at the ABC Expo, a “Will Work For Milk Money” coffee mug, a “Mother Nature’s Meal Plan” journal, and a “Peace. Love. Breastfeeding” bumper sticker.

Thank you so much to MamaPear Designs for sponsoring this generous giveaway! Make sure to check out their website to see more styles and read about Lara’s experience as a pumping mom at the ABC Expo.

To enter the contest, visit Hygeia’s Facebook page through January 16, 2011 and submit the rafflecopter form. Good luck! :)

 

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‘Tis the Season…Holiday Tips for Breastfeeding Moms

December 6th, 2011
          

Image Credit: Juhan Sonin on Flickr

 

It’s the time of year that we all need to step back and prioritize while trying to enjoy the holiday season.  When I meet with new mothers I remind them to practice self-care and avoid the stress that comes with trying to keep up with the seasonal pace when they are their baby’s primary source or nurturing and nourishment.

Breastfeeding mothers may find themselves missing feedings when taking road or air trips and other departures that interrupt frequent nursing.  This can lead to what is dubbed “holiday mastitis.”  Not fun. When you get run-down or have a compromised immune system from colds or flu you are at risk for not only mastitis, but also fluctuation in milk production. While staying a step ahead of these issues seems to be common sense, in the moment we moms tend to push through and ignore our body’s signals to keep it simple.

Here are some considerations for nursing mothers as we countdown to the holiday season:

  • Avoid an overload of starches and sweets in your diet (I know, easier said than done!).  Since Thanksgiving I have seen several cases of yeast infections of the breast, often associated with an abundance of sweets. Indulge in seasonal goodies, as you are burning extra calories by breastfeeding, but steer away from a steady diet of sugar and carbs.
  • Go easy on the alcohol.  A celebratory drink may be fine, but your baby does not need the abundance of second hand alcohol and a hung-over mother will not be a happy one!  Moderation is the key here.
  • Plan travel time carefully. Duh.  Be prepared to be flexible with delays by nursing often and giving yourself plenty of time to get where you are going.  Stay hydrated and carry snacks.  Nursing babies are generally good travelers but remain prepared.
  • Ask or seek help.  Enlist a neighborhood sitter or family member to keep baby entertained whiled you shop, bake or wrap gifts.  Or wear your baby in a sling or carrier as you go about holiday errands. Take frequent nursing breaks.
  • Hand hygiene!  Your baby has the immunological benefits of your milk, but don’t push your luck.  Use hand sanitizer often and keep others from touching or getting close to the baby.
  • If you pump milk, keep your pump with you or hand express when separated from baby.
  • Avoid holiday supply busters.  Peppermint, spearmint, sage, thyme and chronic decongestant use are associated with decreased milk production.  Stress and sleep deprivation can be culprits too.

 

Nobody wants to look back on this joyous season as a stressful blur.  After all, your baby and family come first and if you are out of commission, the holidays will not be the time to enjoy your new addition and the memories you will have for a lifetime…

Happy Holidays from all of us at Hygeia!

 

 

 

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Should lactation consultations be an essential health benefit? Let the Department of Health and Human Services know!

November 7th, 2011

 

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it always comes naturally.  When breastfeeding challenges arise, professional support from a lactation consultant (IBCLC) can make a world of difference for moms and babies struggling with breastfeeding.  Unfortunately many insurance plans do not cover lactation consultations, leaving families without access to breastfeeding support.

During the month of November, the Department of Health and Human Services is hosting regional listening sessions throughout the country to get public feedback on defining essential health benefits to be included in most employer-offered health plans.  This is a great opportunity for you to share your thoughts on why lactation consultations should be considered an essential health benefit covered by insurance plans.

Here are the details for the upcoming listening sessions:

 

City Date Time Location RSVP Info
Boston 8-Nov 1-3 PM  

John F. Kennedy Federal Building 15 New Sudbury St., Conference Room 2075 (20th floor) Boston, MA 02203

 

 R1-ORD@hhs.gov
Philadelphia 8-Nov 10 AM -noon Public Ledger Building, 150 S.Independence Mall West, Conference Rm 419, Philadelphia, PA 19106 aryanna.abouzari@hhs.gov
Dallas 9-Nov 10 AM – noon

 

Center for Community Cooperation, 2900 Live Oak Street, Dallas, TX 75204

 

 shelby.gooden@hhs.gov
New York 14-Nov 10 AM – noon 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 3835 New York, New York 10278 Joynetta.Bell@hhs.gov
Kansas City 15-Nov 10 AM – noon  

Bolling Federal Office Building 8th Floor SSA Conference Room 601 E. 12th Street Kansas City, MO 64106

 

 Cindy.Cento@hhs.gov
Atlanta 16-Nov 10 AM – noon 61 Forsyth St. SW, Suite 5B95, Atlanta, GA 30303-8909 ORDAtlanta@hhs.gov
Seattle 17-Nov 2 – 5 PM  

Jackson Federal Building, 915 2nd Ave, South Auditorium, Seattle, WA

 

 Viveta.VanderSanden@hhs.gov
Denver 18-Nov 9 AM – noon 999 18th St. South Terrace, Suite 400 Denver, CO 80202 Ezra.Watland@hhs.gov
San Francisco 21-Nov 3 – 5 PM  

90 Seventh Street, Suite 5-100 San Francisco, CA 94103

 

 region9ord@hhs.gov

The USLCA has put together a helpful list of talking points that provides more information and resources. Please note that an RSVP is required to attend the listening sessions.

Let us know if you attend; we’d love to hear about your experience!

 

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Two campaigns taking a fresh approach to breastfeeding promotion

September 20th, 2011

We love seeing creative ideas to promote breastfeeding, so we’re excited about two campaigns using social media and peer support to encourage breastfeeding.

 


 

The “Be a Star” campaign started in the UK in 2007 to increase breastfeeding rates among young moms.  According to their mission statement:

Be A Star is a social marketing campaign that promotes breastfeeding amongst young women by celebrating mothers who breastfeed as ‘stars’, whilst supporting them through the breastfeeding process, via peer support and improved understanding and acceptance of breastfeeding within the community.

The campaign turns young moms from local communities into “celebrities” on posters and radio ads to show breastfeeding as something that can be beautiful and glamorous.  It also connects moms to local peer support groups and provides online resources. During the first six months of the campaign, over 27,000 moms were connected with peer support services and breastfeeding initiation rates rose by 13% among moms under the age of 25.

We love the gorgeous simplicity of their latest video project, released this week:

 

 

 

The Every Ounce Counts Campaign from Texas WIC has created an interactive website with lactation support, information on legal rights, peer counseling and fun educational activities. One of our favorite parts of the site is a downloadable lullaby album with music in multiple languages.

Ads for the campaign were recently spotted on Facebook, so we’re hoping its positive message will soon reach more moms.

 

 

What do you think about these breastfeeding campaigns?  Do you think ads like these will encourage more moms to breastfeed?

 

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IV Fluids linked to early newborn weight loss

September 2nd, 2011

 

Most of us in the breastfeeding ‘biz’ have noticed an association of early newborn weight loss with an overload of IV fluids in mom’s system.  Now new research confirms this phenomenon.  Researchers in Canada have published their recent findings in The International Breastfeeding Journal.

According to the Morning Post Exchange:

“They found positive relationships both between the amount of IV fluids given to mothers before birth and neonatal output and between neonatal output and newborn weight loss during the first 24 hours following birth. At 60 hours post birth, the time of the lowest average weight, there was a positive relationship between the amount of maternal IV fluids and newborn weight loss.”

In layman’s terms that means the more IV-logged the mother, the ‘puffier’ the baby.  As the baby regulates its hydration, weight calibrates to what probably would have been its natural birth weight (usually at 24 hours, say the researchers).

Why is this important?  Because if a baby loses weight quickly in the first few days of life there can be a knee-jerk reaction for supplementation to offset weight loss. If clinicians can take this factor into account, baby and mom can be monitored and given time for things to resolve before resorting to unnecessary supplementation.

To compound things, many mothers are puffy themselves!  A mom who has had a long labor and several IVs will get even more IVs if she has a cesarean delivery.  She often will have swollen hands, legs and feet that take time to resolve (and also thought to lead to delay in increased milk volume).

Keeping baby skin to skin with ‘early and often’ feedings can usually keep things on track.  Another by-product is the tendency for IV fluids to cause areolar edema (fancy term for swelling of the tissue around the nipple).  Mothers can be taught to push back the tissue from the nipple base and to help with latch on.

A few years ago, Jean Cotterman was a guest lecturer at the hospital where I worked. She regaled us with examples of areolar edema and physiology and explained the technique she calls “reverse pressure softening.”

I teach this technique to new mothers and it never fails to enhance latch on and comfort for the mother.  It also stimulates the milk ejection reflex (commonly called the ‘let-down’ reflex).

Baby gets ‘liquid gold” and breastfeeding gets off to a better start.  With consideration of this evidence-based research, clinicians can now realistically assess newborn weight loss linked to IV overload and babies can continue to get the milk they deserve!

 

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Celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month with Hygeia

August 25th, 2011

It’s National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, so we wanted to do something special to celebrate! We’ll be giving away 5 awesome prizes to lucky fans, including a grand prize of a Hygeia EnJoye LBI breast pump with deluxe black tote and cooler bag. Other prizes include a PumpEase hands-free pumping bra, nursing pads, milk storage bags, and a hand expression cup.

To enter the contest, simply stop by Sweepstakes tab on the Hygeia Facebook page by August 31, 2011, and submit the entry form. Easy, right?

No purchase necessary. Official rules can be found here.

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What to Expect about Breastfeeding
When You’re Expecting Multiples

August 9th, 2011


I’ve had multiples on my mind lately. Over the last few weeks, I have presented a curriculum for breastfeeding multiples classes at ILCA (the International Lactation Association Annual Conference), taught a breastfeeding class for eight families expecting twins this fall and have seen several moms and their twins in my office. Talk about seeing double!

Although breastfeeding more than one baby has similarities with nursing one, there are definite issues for the expectant mother of multiples to consider. Misinformation and poor advice abounds. So here my The Top Five Tips for Breastfeeding Multiples Prep:

Education Before Lactation
Look for a breastfeeding multiples class in your community by your second semester. If there is not one, take a general breastfeeding class. Have your partner or support person attend so they are informed too. The consummate book is Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding and Caring for Twins or More by Karen Kernoff Gromada. Attend a La Leche League meeting; the leaders can provide contacts for local mothers who have nursed their twins or triplets. Along with books and classes, the Internet has multiple (no pun!) sites for expectant parents. There’s even a site for mothers on bed rest!

Outsources and Resources
Complete your prenatal prep with locating local resources for post-partum breastfeeding assistance and household help. You will want a breastfeeding helper on speed dial! Line up names of doulas and other helpers or volunteers-ask at your doctor’s office for leads. Many areas have Mothers of Multiples groups and these ‘other mothers’ will be your lifeline! If you have other children, consider asking family and friends for extra help when you bring your babies home. When I asked my friend Denise Altman, a twin mom and IBCLC, what she would suggest as most helpful to impart, she said, “Bring meals!”

Plan B
Sometimes things don’t go as you have planned. You may have an earlier birth than due date and/or a surgical delivery, so your best laid plans can change at any time. Tour your hospital or birth center’s NICU and ask what their protocols are. Stress you expect skin to skin contact when possible after birth and breastfeeding assistance for feedings. Ask if a pump will be provided for you if needed. Have a hospital lactation consultant assist you in latching both babies prior to discharge, even though some mothers start out nursing one baby at a time. Since early milk removal is key to establishing milk supply, determine your need to buy or rent a breast pump. If you are pumping for babies in the NICU, definitely consider a rental pump.

Patience with Progress
For most new mothers breastfeeding takes practice. With premature or small babies breastfeeding is also a work in progress. Avoid expecting too much at first and protect your milk supply with extra pumping if indicated; fledgling milk supply is one of the biggest issues I see with multiples. Read JonaRose Feinberg’s excellent advice on nursing late-preterm babies. It is easy to get discouraged when your days are consumed with nursing, pumping, burping and diaper changes and more so if your babies are sketchy feeders. This is when it is helpful to have other mothers of multiples to cheer you on. As breastfeeding gets easier, it saves you time (and money!) so don’t raise the breastfeeding bar so high at the beginning and try to be patient.

If Mama Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy
Self-care is imperative if you are to function well in your new role as a mother of twins, triplets or quads (there’s sites just for you Higher Order moms!) Fatigue, hormones and stress can all collide at this time. Think of the oxygen mask theory: you can’t take care of others around you until you take care of yourself. Your oxygen mask includes good nutrition, rest and moderate exercise, family and household support, and flexibility as you begin this journey. There is a purported higher incidence of post-partum depression (PPD) in mothers of multiples; talk to your midwife or doctor if you experience any signs of depression.

As you prepare for the birth of your multiples, take time to peruse the many resources available and rest assured you have a firm foundation for getting off to the best start with breastfeeding!

Like Hygeia says: Mother’s Milk…The Promise of Health™!

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New report recommends insurance coverage
of breastfeeding support

July 20th, 2011

We talk a lot here about the “booby traps” that prevent moms from meeting their breastfeeding goals, and lack of insurance coverage for lactation services is a big one. While most hospitals provide some degree of in-patient breastfeeding support, many insurance companies don’t cover lactation support after discharge, forcing new moms to pay out-of-pocket to get breastfeeding help. The cost of LC visits can be a considerable expense, which can deter moms from getting the support they need.

We were very happy to see a new independent report commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommending preventative health services, including breastfeeding support, be covered by insurers. If HHS approves the recommendations, insurance companies would be required to cover breastfeeding services for new moms.

An excerpt from the report:

Recommendation 5.6: Comprehensive lactation support and counseling and costs of renting breastfeeding equipment. A trained provider should provide counseling services to all pregnant women and to those in the postpartum period to ensure the successful initiation and duration of breastfeeding.

The Department of Health and Human Services could make a decision on these recommendations as soon as August 1, and coverage could start at the beginning of next year when new insurance plans take effect. We’ll make sure to keep you updated as more details are announced.

What do you think of these new recommendations? Did your insurance company offer coverage for breastfeeding support?

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