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World Breastfeeding Week 2013 - Enhancing Peer Support for Breastfeeding Success

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This year's World Breastfeeding Week is highlighting the importance of breastfeeding peer counselors in optimizing the breastfeeding success of new and experienced mothers. With little more than half of all mothers exclusively breastfeeding past one week (1) , peer support is critical for increasing our population's health. Breastfeeding is important for the health of both mothers and babies. Breastfeeding helps a baby stay healthy and research shows that increased length and exclusivity of breastfeeding can decrease a baby's risk of contracting a number of illnesses such as otitis media (ear infections) and gastroenteritis, or dying from SIDS. The benefits of breastfeeding extend into childhood and beyond by decreasing the risk of childhood obesity, diabetes (type 1 & 2), and leukemia. For the mother, breastfeeding helps to protect against breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type 2 diabetes. (2) "Compared with breastfed infants, formula-fed infants face higher ris...
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Unassisted Childbirth, sometimes the only 'Choice'?

Unassisted Childbirth (UC) refers to birth in which the mother delivers without professional assistance (such as from a midwife or OB) and has also been referred to as 'freebirth'; this does not mean the mother and her partner have not prepared for labor and birth, just that they do not have a licensed professional present when the baby is born. Some women labor and deliver completely alone while others may be emotionally and physically supported by their partner, a friend/family member or a doula. There are a multitude of reasons why women choose to birth unassisted and some women choose to do so because this is the best choice for them, but for too many women, they have to have a UC in order to have their baby at home. In the U.S., 99% of births occur in the hospital, however the numbers of women choosing home birth are growing. Most home-births in the U.S are attended by midwives, however, many states still have laws that prohibit midwives from attending home-births and the ...
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What a birth educator wants YOU to know about birth!

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I'm a birth junkie, plain and simple. I love learning all about birth and sharing all this knowledge with those around me. Unfortunately though, my interest in birth has allowed me to witness, both individually and on a population scale, the widespread abuses of women in childbirth . Years of experience as a birth doula, home-based educator for new mothers, and my Master's education in the field of maternal and child health has led me to the firm conclusion that birth in the United States isn't as good for mothers and babies as it can AND should be! This knowledge and experience has impassioned me to protect and inform women. I want my friends, family members, ALL WOMEN, to understand the options they have for their childbirth . That they don't have to be abused, pressured, or scared. It is my hope that women learn to trust themselves and their bodies and can say "enough" when they are disrespected in their care. In my experience, many women have an u...
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