Are you Mom Enough: Time to Speak Out!

Unfortunately, the Time Magazine article picture did not help to promote breastfeeding.  This photo was shot to sell magazines, not to help make breastfeeding the norm.  While I personally nursed my children for up to 18 months, there is no doubt that breastmilk is beneficial for much longer.  The controversy comes in with the child standing and the captioning challening moms to nurse their older child.  As a retired lactation consultant, I always tried to help moms meet their personal goals and encourage them to nurse at each stage of breastfeeding.  Whether it was the first month, three months or hopefully at least a year.  I gave advice on partial weaning when a mom did not want to pump when returning to work and advice on gradual and baby led weaning when asked about weaning.  The caption depicts all who promote breastfeeding as breastfeeding Nazis and not the supporters of mothers and babies who we are.  It makes nursing mothers look radical instead of impassioned.  While I support the mother on the cover and her personal decision to nurse her toddler, I reject the notion that we are all out there screaming that if you don't nurse for over a year, or at all, that you aren't mom enough!  Breastfeeding can take tenacity.  Tenacity which you need when you are parenting teenagers later on, but moms should be encouraged, not called out in a confrontational manner for not breastfeeding.  Having said that, I personally have been atacked for statements such as "breast milk has never been recalled".  Proponets of breastfeeding should be allowed to speak the truth without it being perceived that we are attacking the other side.  Truth is truth whether you believe it or not and whether you choose it or not.

Breastfeeding Diet: How to Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

      As a retired lactation consultant, mother of 3 and grandmother of one, I get asked this question quite often:  "How do I loose the baby weight?"  More recently I was asked about diet pills, which are unsafe for the nursing mother.  That caused me to take action so I am giving you a guideline below based on two decades of experience and the additional 500 calories per day needed by nursing mothers or 1000 extra calories if you are nursing twins.  As with any diet, consult your doctor before beginning this and do no begin until the baby is at least 3 months old. 

     Losing weight is not necessarily how much you eat, but what combination of foods you eat in order to jump start your metabolism.  Start by measuring yourself and not just weighing yourself because you begin to lose inches faster than pounds so it is encouraging to see the smaller waistline, etc.  An inexpensive food scale and measuring cups is helpful for this process.  Do not “cheat” by exchanging servings and eat everything recommended in the course of the day.  Serving size for veggies is 1 cup and fruit 1 apple, orange, etc. 

7 oz meat (nothing fried; cheese is included in this category)

3 fruit

2-3 non-starchy vegetable (not peas or corn)

4 bread (1 cup pasta, regular sliced bread  = 1, but a muffin or biscuit = 2)

3 cup dairy (1% milk or yogurt, not Yoplait or any brand with corn syrup, no ice cream)

1 fat = (1 TBS salad dressing or peanut butter or low-fat mayonnaise)

Weight loss varies depending on how much weight you gained during the last pregnancy ad this weight comes of faster than extra pounds that have been there for years.  Typical weight loss after you reach pre-pregnancy weight should be 1-2 lbs per week, do don't skimp on food to make it go faster. You are better off keeping weight off than loosing too quickly!  Please don't make your goal getting back into your favorite jeans from high school, that is unrealistic.  You goal is a healthy weight, womanly curves are not your enemy.  After all, you need hips to carry your toddler around!

For additional breastfeeding tips, visit our website!

Happy, healthy eating!

Tanya Roberts
Lactation Connection