Theme: Breastfeeding
The breastfeeding relationship can be riddled with all sorts of emotions. From incorrect information regarding milk supply to the delicate balance of hormones, including oxytocin, this stage in a woman’s life can be emotional, challenging, beautiful, uncomfortable, blissful, rewarding and sometimes controversial. In this issue of Midwifery Today, you will share in the emotions of some of the personal breastfeeding stories as well as gain insight into the difficult situations of incarcerated mothers, the birthing conditions in Darfur, Sudan, the process of breast milk sharing and other interesting topics written about by our contributors.
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Author and breastfeeding consultant, Suzanne Colson, details a new neurobehavioral approach to breastfeeding initiation. Read more…. Biological Nurturing: The Laid-back Breastfeeding Revolution
The author presents an exploration of the components, rationale and outcomes of kangaroo care. Read more…. Kangaroo Care
Photo from the book, Brought to Earth by Birth, courtesy of Harriette Hartigan
As practitioners, it is our duty to examine the attitudes we have developed as well as the language and terminology we use. Our society defines a pregnancy with a gestation of 40 weeks plus 1 day as overdue. This notion is planted deeply in our culture with origins I was unable to unearth. Many factors come into play surrounding this issue, including some subjective considerations beginning with dating a pregnancy. Read more…. The Two Faces of Postdate Pregnancies
Why don’t cats have breastfeeding problems? If we answer this we might have an answer to human breastfeeding problems. When Momma Cat had her babies—see last issue’s editorial—they began breastfeeding even before the other babies were born. Read more…. Kitty Breastfeeding
A homebirth midwife shares how all of the senses (touch, taste sight, sound and smell) are valuable to the midwife for gathering important information during a woman’s pregnancy and labor.
The Prison Birth Project shares the unfortunate situations of incarcerated mothers and their “inherently traumatic” birth experiences. Fortunately, the doula care PBP provides has had such an effect on these women that the cycle of violence is stopping in some of their lives.
Read more…. Adapting Birth Services for Incarcerated Mothers
Michele Anderson—pinkletoesblogstalker.com
A look at how the hormone oxytocin behaves similarly to a shy person “who does not appear among strangers or observers.
