About Sara

My first child is due Feb. 8th 2012. As I wait with anticipation for my breastfeeding adventure to begin, I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of the breastfeeding blog world. For more about me read the About Us section of the blog! This blog is intended to be a place of inspiration and information. It is a place to share stories and ideas. I love hearing from you!

Momzelle Nursing News

Archive for the ‘Breastfeeding Resources/Ressources pour l’allaitement’ Category

Banking on Breastmilk (info, facts and list of human milk banks)

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Contrary to the general belief (and advertising we read in a lot of magazines), the second best thing after breastfeeding is not formula. The World Health Organization is very clear about it: the best thing for your baby is your own breastmilk given by way of breastfeeding (good for the development of your baby’s mouth and jaw in particular, on top of all the proven benefits of breastmilk itself) , the second best is your expressed breast milk, the third best is human milk coming from a human milk bank, and fourth comes formula.

Milk banks are not legion, but they are very very useful for little preemies in neonatal units. Some mothers of ill and premature infants are unable to provide enough milk for their babies, and donated breastmilk may mean the difference between life and death for their babies.  A friend of mine is a pediatrician caring for premature babies in one of Toronto’s hospitals and he was telling me that they see a significant increase in the chance of survival for babies who are fed breastmilk. They are now working on establishing a human milk bank here, but in the meantime ask mothers with a lot of supply in the regular maternity ward to give away part of their extra “liquid gold” in order to help someone else’s baby to thrive and grow.

FACTS ABOUT MILK BANKING

(taken from the Mother’s Milk Bank of New England’s website)

Q. What is a mothers’ milk bank?
A. A mothers’ milk bank collects, processes, tests and distributes donated human milk. Some milk banks are hospital affiliated, others are independent entities that serve the whole community. MMBNE is a non-profit independent milk bank operating under the guidelines of the Human Milk Bank Association of North America (HMBANA).
Q. Why is banked milk better than specialized formulas? 
A. Human milk is designed for human babies. Specialized formulas for premature babies are modified from cows’ milk and they are very harsh on the delicate digestive systems of premature newborns. For example, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is 10 -17% more likely if a preemie receives formula. NEC can lead to lifelong gastrointestinal problems, and is largely preventable by feeding babies human milk. 
Q. Is milk banking safe? A. Multiple steps are taken to make sure that banked milk is safe for the vulnerable babies it will feed. Screening of milk donors includes an interview regarding health behaviors, letters from mothers’ and babies’ physicians and blood tests to detect communicable diseases. Milk is heat-treated and must show no bacterial growth. Milk is shipped frozen overnight. 

I wish all of us full term pregnancies, healthy babies, and successful, positive and rewarding breastfeeding relationships. When something does not go as planned though, it is good to know that there are people who care and that there is help available. Here is the list of the existing milk banks in the USA and Canada. If this can help one of you some day, I can’t tell you how good I would feel.

Human Milk Banks in the United States and Canada

United States 

CALIFORNIA

Mothers’ Milk Bank
751 South Bascom Ave
San Jose, CA 95128
Phone (408) 998-4550
FAX (408) 297-9208
mothersmilkbank@hhs.co.santa-clara.ca.us
www.milkbanksj.org

INDIANA

Indiana Mothers’ Milk Bank, Inc.
Methodist Medical Plaza II
6820 Parkdale Place, Suite 109
Indianapolis, IN 46254
Phone (317) 329-7146
FAX (317) 329-7151
inmothersmilkbank@clarian.org
http://www.immilkbank.org/

IOWA

Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa
Department of Food and Nutrition Services
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Room C330 GH
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: (319)356-2652
FAX (319)356-8674
jean-drulis@uiowa.edu
www.uihealthcare.com/milkbank/

MICHIGAN

Bronson Mothers’ Milk Bank
601 John Street
Suite N1300
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Phone (269) 341-8849
FAX (269) 341-8918
Duffc@bronsonhg.org

NEW ENGLAND

Mothers’ Milk Bank of New England (developing)
PO Box 600091
Newtonville, MA 02460
or
225 Nevada Street Room 201
Newtonville, MA 02460
Phone (781) 535-7594
info@milkbankne.org 
www.milkbankne.org

NORTH CAROLINA

WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank and Lactation Center
3000 New Bern Ave
Raleigh, NC 27610
Phone (919) 350-8599
FAX (919) 350-8923
Suevans@wakemed.org 
MBradshaw@wakemed.org 
http://www.wakemed.com/body.cfm?id=135

OHIO

Mothers’ Milk Bank of Ohio
Grant Medical Center @ 
Victorian Village Health Center 
1087 Dennison Avenue 
Columbus, OH 43201
Phone (614) 544-0810
FAX (614) 544-0812
gmorrow@ohiohealth.com

TEXAS

Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin
900 E. 30th St. Suite 214
Austin, TX 78705
Phone (512) 494-0800
Toll-free 1 (877) 813-MILK (6455) 
FAX (512) 494-0880
info@mmbaustin.org 
www.mmbaustin.org

Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas

1300 W. Lancaster Suite 108
Ft. Worth, TX 76102
Phone (817) 810-0071
Toll-free 1 (866) 810-0071 
FAX (817) 810-0087
mmbnt@hotmail.com
http://www.mmbnt.org/

 

Canada

BRITISH COLUMBIA

BC Women’s Milk Bank
C & W Lactation Services
4500 Oak Street, IU 30
Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1
Phone (604) 875-2282
FAX 604-875-2871
fjones@cw.bc.ca

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What to eat when breastfeeding

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

Many new mothers wonder if they should follow a special diet while they are breastfeeding. The good news is that you probably don’t need to make any major changes to what you eat or drink during this time. Just remember: 

A well-balanced diet is important for your health

One of the wonders of breast milk is that it can meet your baby’s nutritional needs even if you’re not eating well. But just because your baby won’t be harmed by any dietary insufficiency on your part doesn’t mean that you won’t suffer. Getting enough vitamins and nutrients is important because you need energy to meet the physical demands of caring for a new baby. Think of nursing as continued motivation to follow the healthy diet you followed during pregnancy. Focus on eating whole grains and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, and foods that provide plenty of protein, calcium, and iron.

 

Eat well, be well

Eat well, be well

 

Do I need to eat or drink more ?

Eating well doesn’t mean you need to eat more. Experts used to recommend that nursing moms get an extra 500 calories a day, but recent research indicates that breastfeeding moms don’t necessarily need a calorie boost, says breastfeeding expert Kathleen Huggins, the author of The Nursing Mother’s Companion. Your energy needs will depend on your current weight and a lot on your activity level — there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation. If you do feel like you are lacking some energy, by no means have a snack. Same with thirst. Breastfeeding moms should drink according to their thirst. The same recommendation apply as for non-breastfeeders: try to avoid high sugar drinks like colas or juices. Water is always a good bet.

Is my baby colicky because of something I have eaten ?

 

Many babies have colics during the first few months of life, most often regardless of what their mothers eat. You will most probably find a lot of people around you suggesting that you stop eating broccoli, beef, bananas and so on. Beware, as you may find yourself with nothing else but water and white rice to eat ! In his Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers, Jack Newman writes that eliminating certain foods of your diet may help in 1 out of 10 colic cases. If you do decide to eliminate certain foods, do only one group of foods at a time (for a week to 10 days, then reintroduce), so that you know if it makes a difference or not.

Have your baby taste (and like !) various tastes through your breastmilk

While breastfeeding you can generally enjoy all the foods that you would usually eat. The great thing about breastmilk is that the flavour changes slightly depending on what you eat (unlike formula, which stays always the same). This can actually help with introducing solids later on too (at around six months of age), as your baby will have already be introduced to a variety of tastes while breastfeeding.

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Nursing tip from a Momzelle customer

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

I hope lots of you enjoyed wearing your Momzelle nursing tops at your Easter family reunions. Here is a tip that a very kind Momzelle customer sent me by email this morning. She has been going to a breastfeeding clinic with her newborn and the lactation consultants there really liked her Momzelle nursing top. So here is her tip: “Funny tip about the middle section in between the breasts – it’s great for tucking a newborn’s hand in while you concentrate on the latch:)”. 

I would have never thought of that !

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Breastfeeding Dolls: Not Your Typical Barbie Doll

Monday, April 6th, 2009

I had never seen such dolls before:

  • breastfeeding dolls (the newborn or toddler attaches to his mother’s breast with velcro or a snap fastener, some are actually really cute waldorf style dolls, see below)
    Breastfeeding Doll Wearing a Nursing Top, by Cotton Mother Dolls

    Breastfeeding Doll Wearing a Nursing Top, by Cotton Mother Dolls

    Breastfeeding Doll by Amamanta Family

    Breastfeeding Doll by Amamanta Family

    il_fullxfull.75098904

    Breastfeeding doll by MamAmor

  • birthing dolls (the newborn can get in and out of the mother’s womb, probably a very good way to show a toddler how he will actually become a big brother or a big sister)
Birthing Doll by Toy Garden

Birthing Doll by Toy Garden

Waldorf style Newborn by Fairy Wool Dolls

Waldorf style Newborn by Fairy Wool Dolls

  • anatomically correct dolls (the main difference with regular dolls is that those actually do have genitals, men and women alike).

Some are African-American dolls, others Hispanic dolls or birthing black dolls, the list goes on. They are all made by hand and for sale on the web, mostly geared towards birthing educators like midwives and doulas, who can use them as teaching tools for their clients, or for parents who want to get as far away as they can from the Barbie type doll. In fact, I do not think you can get much further away !

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Ressources pour l’allaitement – Québec et ses environs

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Pour celles qui sont dans la région de Québec (c’est de là que mon frère Vincent et moi, les fondateurs de Momzelle, sommes natifs – pour être plus précis nous sommes de Cap-Santé), voici une liste de ressources pour l’allaitement. Je ne saurais trop conseiller les formations sur l’allaitement en cours de grossesse. Elles permettent de mettre toutes les chances de son côté ! De plus, au mois d’octobre de chaque année, à Place Fleur de Lys, se tient le Défi allaitement. Il s’agit d’une sorte de compétition entre les villes/communautés. La gagnante est celle qui réunit le plus grand nombre de femmes qui allaitent au même moment, dans un même lieu.  Je vous tiendrai au courant de la date exacte de l’événement au moment opportun.

Voici donc la liste des nombreux organismes qui soutiennent l’allaitement à Québec et ses environs:

Clinique d’aide à l’allaitement sur rendez-vous, location de tire-lait, rencontres prénatales, ligne d’écoute: 418-663-2711

Clinique d’aide à l’allaitement sur rendez-vous, marrainage, soirées d’information, rencontres pré et postnatales, ligne d’écoute : 418-877-5333

  • Mamie Lait (Lorretteville, Val Bélair et Valcartier) :

Clinique d’aide à l’allaitement sur rendez-vous, séances d’information, rencontres, vente et location tire-lait, ligne d’écoute : 418-847-1957

Ligne d’écoute : 418-623-0971, location de tire-lait

Parmi les nombreux services prénataux et postnataux offerts par l’organisme, on trouve des marraines d’allaitement et une consultante en lactation disponible sur rendez-vous. Il s’agit d’un nouveau service offert depuis février 2009. Pour rejoindre le centre: (418) 834-8085

Soutien téléphonique, réunions d’info et de partage, 1-866-255-2483 ou  www.allaitement.ca pour trouver une monitrice près de chez vous.

Pour consulter la liste des points de vente des vêtements d’allaitement Momzelle près de Québec, cliquez ici.

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5 Tips for a Great Breastfeeding Start

Friday, March 20th, 2009
  1. Start Early Get as much skin to skin contact with your baby as you can. Delay unnecessary procedures that may interfere with the first breastfeeding, and get your baby at your breast within the first half hour after birth – the baby may even self attach if you let him do so !
  2. Have frequent, unrestricted feedings Watch your baby, not the clock, and always offer both breasts. Babies have small stomachs and need to be fed frequently.
  3. Stay close to your baby You and your baby should room in together during the postpartum stay, including nights, so that you may recognize and respond to the feeding cues and the needs of your little one.
  4. Ensure a good position and latch This is the key to maternal comfort and great baby response. Ask for help if you have sore nipples or feel engorged !
  5. Ensure exclusive breastfeeding The more you breastfeed, the more milk you produce. Supplementation (water cereals, cow’s milk or other) does interfere with breastmilk production. It is a myth that babies sleep for longer periods of time if they are given solids.

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Ressources pour l’allaitement: Montréal et ses environs

Friday, March 13th, 2009

Voici une liste de ressources pour l’allaitement dans la région de Montréal. J’espère que ces ressources sauront vous être utiles ! Tous les liens fonctionnent, et les informations ont été mises à jour le 1er mai 2009. Mon conseil: si vous sentez que les conseils que vous recevez ne vous sont pas utiles, allez cognez à la porte suivante.

J’ai entendu beaucoup de bien de la Clinique d’allaitement HERZL et je suis bien curieuse de savoir ce que vous avez pensé du service reçu dans les autres cliniques d’allaitement spécialisées. N’hésitez pas à me faire part de vos commentaires ! À venir bientôt, la liste des ressources dans la région de Québec.

À lire en ligne:

Assistance téléphonique et soutien de maman à maman :

  • Ligue La Leche : 1-866-255-2483 (1-866-allaite) www.allaitement.ca (réunions/formations, monitrices d’allaitement en cas de problèmes)
  • Nourri-Source : (514) 948-5160 www.nourri-source.org (marraines d’allaitement, haltes allaitement chaque semaine au CLSC de plusieurs quartiers)
  • Autour du bébé (Ahuntsic) : (514) 388-8362 Haltes allaitement (lundis 13h-15h30) et ateliers de préparation à l‘allaitement : 10 780, rue Laverdure, local R002, 
  • La mère à boire (Brossard) : Haltes d’allaitement, marraines, ateliers, www.lamereaboire.org

Cliniques d’allaitement spécialisées (sur référence d’un médecin, inf., sage-femme ou consultante en lactation SEULEMENT):

  • Hôpital Général Juif, clinique d’allaitement HERZL, 4333 Chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Tel : (514) 340-8222, p. 3269. Fax: (514) 340-8634,  ouvert du lundi au vendredi. Sur référence seulement.
  • Hôpital LaSalle, clinique d’allaitement spécialisée, Tel : (514) 362-8000 poste 1817, sur rendez-vous seulement avec référence d’un médecin, inf, ou consultatnte en lactation (délai de 7 à 14 jours avant de pouvoir obtenir un rendez-vous)
  • Cité de la Santé de Laval, clinique d’allaitement spécialisée. Votre médecin ou infirmière doit envoyer une référence par fax au (450) 975-5088.
  • NOUVEAU à compter du 6 mai 2009, Clinique Roper, 4500 Sherbrooke Ouest, Westmount, Québec  H3Z 1E6, Tél: 514-937-8000. Sur rendez-vous seulement, la clinique est ouverte le mercredi. Il y a des frais pour les consultantes en lactation, mais les services du médecin présent sont couverts par le régime d’assurance-maladie du Québec.

Pour obtenir de l’aide professionnelle rapidement et sans référence d’un médecin: 

  • Consultantes en allaitement IBCLC (visites à domicile / frais de service): Consulter www.ibclc.qc.ca, « trouver une consultante près de chez vous » ou tél. (514) 990-0262

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Breastfeeding Resources – In and Around Toronto

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

This is an updated list of breastfeeding resources that I had prepared for the Toronto Baby and Toddler Show in 2008. I will do my best to make it more complete as time goes by but there should be enough here to get you started. I had also prepared lists for Montreal and Quebec city, which I will be happy to post here in the next week, with the intent to start a new Breasfeeding Resources section on the blog.

My advice is: if you are not happy with the help you get somewhere, go knock at an other door until you find the advice that works for you. Good luck !

Online resources:

Mother to mother support:

  • La Leche League Canada: 416-483-3368 (for information about groups in your area)
  • Be part of a mom’s group, like the who helds meetings at Life on St-Clair every first Monday of the month at 3:00-4:00 (start May 4)

Professional support in Toronto:

  • The Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute, in the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 1255 Sheppard Avenue EastToronto, M2K 1E2, tel: 416-498-0002 (There is a registration fee for the first visit, but the rest is usually covered by OHIP as Dr. Newman is a pediatrician)
  • NEW ! Alliston Clinic, Newman Breastfeeding Clinic & Institute, Town Square, 35 Victoria Street E, Unit 7, Alliston, ON, L9R 1V8. To make an appointment in Alliston, email breastfeeding@ccnm.edu and respond to the auto reply.
  • Breastfeeding Resources Centre, at the Toronto East General Hospital: Drop-in Monday to Sunday 10AM to 3PM, tel: 416-469-6667 (4MY-MOMS)
  • Out-Patient Breastfeeding Clinic, St-Joseph Health Centre, by appointment only (afternoons)., tel: 416-530-6331. St-Joseph Health Centre also offers excellent breastfeeding seminars (10$ per person or 15$ per couple), call 416-530-6367 for information.
  • Toronto Public Health nurses can help you breastfeed your baby (free home visits), 416-338-7600
  • To find a lactation consultant (home visits/fee) near you, click here.

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