La Leche League of Southern Indiana

08/08/2022

08/06/2022

10 Fascinating Facts About Breastfeeding …

1. Breast milk is a living substance that contains live cells, including stem cells, which go on to become other body cell types like brain, heart, kidney, or bone tissue.

2. Breast milk also contains antibodies and live white blood cells that help your baby fight against infection. And, when you or your baby is sick, the amount of these cells in your breast milk increases.

3. Colostrum (your first milk) contains special proteins that coat your baby’s intestinal tract to protect from harmful bacteria right from the start.

4. Your brain releases the hormones prolactin and oxytocin during breastfeeding, which help you to bond with baby and ease those normal feelings of stress and anxiety.

5. The smell and taste of your breast milk changes depending on the foods you eat. Exposing your little one to more flavors during breastfeeding can lead them to be less picky eaters once you begin introducing solids.

6. And when your baby does start eating solids, you can use breast milk to replace cow’s milk in recipes.

7. The amount of breast milk you are able to produce has nothing to do with your breast size. A mom with small breasts can have just as much (or more!) milk-making tissue as a mom with large breasts.

8. Your breast milk is constantly changing to meet the needs of your growing baby. From month-to-month, throughout the week, day-to-day, and even throughout a single feeding.

9. Mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, and postpartum depression. And, the longer a woman breastfeeds in her lifetime, the more protection she receives.

10. Breastfeeding lowers your baby’s risk of common childhood illnesses, including ear infections, respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, and Necrotizing Enterocolitis.
📷 found on :: facts via

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08/05/2022

Repost from Professor Amy Brown - Breastfeeding Uncovered
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It's World Breastfeeding Week again. This week was designed to protect and support breastfeeding. To highlight why we need to invest in mothers, families, babies and the future. Yet for many, this week sends a chill straight through their core. It makes them want to shout and throw things because breastfeeding certainly isn’t something to celebrate for them.

For far too many women, any mention of breastfeeding reminds them of pain, anxiety and a lack of support. It reminds them of their determination to do what had been promised to them as simple, enjoyable and the right way to feed their baby. Determination which slowly turned to desperation when it didn’t work for them.

It reminds mothers of the heartbreak they felt as they stopped breastfeeding before they were anywhere near ready – it wasn’t just about the promised health benefits but the feeling that their body wasn’t doing what it was meant to do, and the fact they just really wanted to do it.

But all this pain is actually the reason we continue. This week is not about telling everyone they should breastfeed... but more about insisting that those with power step up and actually do something about investing in making a better future for the next generation of women.

At the moment, rather than protecting breastfeeding, the government doesn’t invest properly in the services, support and expertise that would actually enable mothers to breastfeed – despite reports finding it could actually save the NHS money.

Instead, cuts to services take away essential volunteer groups and funding of breastfeeding specialists. What should be an easily fixable issue can turn turned into months of physical pain - and often a lifetime of continued emotional pain.

The simple truth is that we set women up to fail. Most breastfeeding problems are created by a society that is not breastfeeding friendly: the actions of others are responsible for poor breastfeeding rates and the trauma of mothers.

This week is about recognising that hurt and calling for change. I really wish we didn't have to have it. I certainly wish that not so many women and families were hurt by it.

08/04/2022

FREE MATERIALS all month as we celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness 💙 Print these at http://www.nationalperinatal.org/feeding-our-babies/ and share them with your community.

08/02/2022

Proud of you through it all and here for you to support whether it’s three days, three weeks or three years or beyond. 

On day 2 of world breastfeeding week I just want to tell you how amazing you all are. Keep calm and latch on!

Join my group https://www.facebook.com/groups/441495507527707/?ref=share_group_link to meet other moms and have some doula led breastfeeding classes and tips!

01/30/2022