Author Laura Keegan talks about Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy HERE. The New Release of Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy in eBook is a stunning expansion of the timeless 2008 limited print paperback edition and continues to teach pregnant and new moms how to breastfeed by seeing it up close and unhidden at birth and beyond.
Exclusive to the New Release eBook are moms telling us about breastfeeding at birth including Caesarean birth; and one mom sharing her birth story with images and video of her cuddling her newborn to life after being told her baby “didn’t make it.”
Images and videos reveal what happens when moms learn how to hold their babies to breastfeed in a way that is entirely different from holding their babies to bottlefeed. Moms choose many different positions to get comfortable breastfeeding their babies while sitting, lying down, and semi-reclining. BUY NOW: New Release eBook & timeless 2008 print edition from Amazon eBook also available from iBooks Print editions and video-DVD from author
Awhile back I posted Mothers Yearn for Their Babies at Birth. I created the post as a resource for moms to share with their health care providers to encourage skin-to-skin contact at the moment of birth even for a Cesarean birth. It is a comprehensive presentation with a video and photographs documenting the joy and safety of immediate skin to skin contact at Cesarean births when the babies and moms are medically stable; moms' reports on its importance; documentation of its success; and even a link to a journal article presenting modifications of Cesarean birth procedures with a description of how to do skin-to-skin in the operating room. UPDATE: Full journal article reprint in NEW RELEASE Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy
UPDATE: NEW RELEASE Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy now used by moms and practitioners to advocate for skin-to-skin at birth (even at Cesarean birth); they can easily show from the book on their phone (or other mobile device) – images, video and documentation of skin-to-skin contact at birth practices (including medical journal article reprint re skin-to-skin at Cesarean birth) all contained in the book itself.
Kelly Rutherford praises Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy on her GIVING page. “I love the book Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy by Laura Keegan. It is beautiful.”
When Kelly's daughter, Helena, was just a baby she expressed what Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy meant to her as a gift that was both "an extremely practical breastfeeding guide" and "a gift that touched my heart."
"Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy is amazing. I received the book while I was pregnant with Helena, and it was a gift that touched my heart. This book could be given at baby showers and available at every place we bring babies. I would like to see it at hospitals caring for moms and babies and at every pump station in LA!!
"Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy celebrates our ability to nurture our children. The book is an extremely practical breastfeeding guide, but also gets us back to what it means to nurture through its words, images, and helpful ideas. It teaches women about breastfeeding in a non-threatening way, respecting that every breastfeeding mother and baby pair is unique, facing different circumstances in their lives.
"All of the women in this book are different, but all are nurturing their babies; some with babies feeding at moms’ breasts, others just cuddled close to mom (or dad). When we come from a place of nurturing our babies without guilt, mothers and babies find their way and feel beautiful." — Kelly Rutherford, of Gossip Girl
Click here to read this story about the amazing power of breastmilk to save a baby's life (and hearing, and eyesight)! Baby Jayden was born with congenital syphilis, blind, deaf, and addicted to alcohol and cocaine. Unable to tolerate any formula well, her foster mother fed her the formula that was "least bad" for her, but she was never healthy, and often was close to death. Then they tried breastmilk, and what a difference it made!
Because of her multiple food intolerances and health situation, as a toddler she is still very much in need of breastmilk, so if you live in Southeast Michigan and have any breastmilk in the freezer, or are currently breastfeeding and able to pump extra, you can help to keep this baby alive [see the website for more details, including drop-off points].
There is no substitute for breastmilk when it comes to health, and premature babies are particularly at risk. While many mothers pump for their own babies, some women have trouble making enough milk. If you have "enough and to spare," I'd urge you to look into donating your milk to a milk bank or local hospital if possible. Even though all babies benefit from breastmilk, premature babies are more vulnerable to the side effects of formula, with formula-fed preemies having something like double the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (compared to their breastmilk-fed peers), which can be fatal. By donating breastmilk to a baby who needs it, you can literally give the gift of life.
Soon after my younger son was born, a friend adopted a newborn, and I pumped extra milk for him. Even though the baby was a normal, healthy newborn, and didn't "need" breastmilk like some of these babies in this video, I felt wonderful about giving him the gift of breastmilk that neither his birth mother nor his adoptive mother were able to give*. Yes, it took time, but it was worth it. If I ever have another baby, I will definitely donate extra milk if at all possible.
*[I feel the need to qualify what I mean when I say that his adoptive mother "wasn't able" to give the baby breastmilk. It is important to note that adoptive mothers can breastfeed at least partially, even if some are not able to fully feed their infants. However, this particular adoption was actually a surprise (long story, but they found out about the baby one day before he was born and took him home one day after he was born), so she didn't have time to prepare prior to the adoption.]
World Breastfeeding Week started this Sunday, August 1, and runs through Saturday, August 7. The event is a world-wide effort at promoting breastfeeding, with the following objectives:
Draw attention to the role of the Ten Steps in improving breastfeeding rates.
Renew action by health systems, health care providers and communities to make breastfeeding the easy choice for women.
Inform people everywhere of the risks of artificial feeding, and the role of breastfeeding for children’s development and lifelong health and the health of mothers.
Enable mothers to enjoy full support for breastfeeding in health care systems and beyond.
While I of course support all of these objectives, it is the last that is especially close to my heart -- so much so, that the subtitle of my book, Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy, is "A Photographic Guide for Mom and Those Who Help Her." While often "those who help her" are the mother's family, friends and community, whose support can be most important to her, her help does not necessarily begin and end there. Doulas, midwives, childbirth educators, lactation consultants, physicians, WIC offices, breastfeeding cafes, and hospitals have bought cases of my books to give to new moms, and often become part of her "community of support."
In fact, the Herkimer and Madison County WIC offices in upstate NY have bought cases of Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy so that they can give a copy to any woman who needs it. Mothers there are saying that the book is helpful when they need reassurance on how to hold the baby and help the baby take the breast. When moms are overwhelmed by breastfeeding problems they have been helped by the reminders of the benefits of skin to skin provided in the many images. By having this book in the home of more women, breastfeeding is being seen as normal by fathers, children, grandparents and friends. Fathers and grandparents are saying they feel more comfortable helping mom. Since women who are most likely to qualify for WIC are also statistically least likely to initiate or continue breastfeeding, this makes WIC's work even more important in improving breastfeeding rates and infant outcomes.
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I am going to give away two copies of Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy... with a twist. One copy will go to one lucky fan from the facebook fan page, and the second copy will go to the library of her (or his) choice. This will allow a wider audience access to the images and information in my book. After the winner receives her (or his) copy of Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy, she will need to show the book to the library to make sure that it will accept the donation by contacting me, and then I will mail the book directly to the library. If you are already a fan on facebook, you don't have to do anything -- you're automatically entered. If you're not a facebook fan yet, click here to become one; and if you're not on facebook at all, you can leave a comment below and I'll put your name in the drawing. The drawing will be held on Saturday, the last day of World Breastfeeding Week, and I will be picking a name at random from all the names of the facebook fans.
[Giveaway open to residents of the United States and Canada.]
I'd like to give a big thank-you to all the fans for their support of Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy. By being a fan and inviting others to become fans you are helping me let communities across the nation and around the world know about this book that has helped countless women breastfeed their babies "with comfort and joy."
Best for Babes Foundation is a non-profit organization that is raising awareness of the "Booby Traps"(TM) facing breastfeeding moms. They are committed to "giving breastfeeding a makeover," and sharing critical information with the public; and supporting moms so that they can make informed feeding choices and receive support whether they choose to breastfeed, formula feed or both.
Their work requires financial support. Without donating any money yourself, you can help them meet their financial goals. Right now Best for Babes is in the running to receive a $20,000 donation from the Chase Community giving campaign on Facebook. They only need to be in the top 200 to win. Voting ends July 12th, and winners are announced on July 13th! You can vote for them HERE. You have to be a member of Facebook to vote. Don't be confused by all the voting options (ie., receiving gift votes for voting for other charities); the priority is getting each person to vote one time for Best for Babes (http://www.bestforbabes.org/; Facebook: www.facebook.com/bestforbabes). If you are not a Facebook member, please share this information with those who are.
Here is a short video that provides a quick view of the "Booby Traps"(TM) Best for Babes is committed to minimizing to help moms overcome barriers to breastfeeding.
For a short video highlighting the people and organizations involved with Best for Babes in helping breastfeeding moms, view Best for Babes breastfeeding nonprofit for Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" Obesity Campaign.
I believe removing our culture's squeamishness around breastfeeding is one of the most important actions Best for Babes is taking. They share information and positive breastfeeding images and stories, including those of celebrities, bringing these into the mainstream. Mothers, their friends and families, community members, AND their health care providers are commonly uncomfortable around breastfeeding.
Discomfort around breastfeeding is a huge cultural barrier and personal barrier for many moms. Minimizing it is a crucial first step to helping moms breastfeed with ease. Sharing vivid breastfeeding images that evoke positive emotions has been central to the success of Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy in helping moms prevent and solve breastfeeding problems. Sharing positive images, "giving breastfeeding a makeover" is central to the work of Best for Babes.
Removing our society's discomfort around breastfeeding could be incredibly helpful for the learning curve of breastfeeding because as Robert Schiller, MD says in his foreword to Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy learning to breastfeed is like learning to ride a bike. Children often find success in learning to ride a bike because they and those around them have SEEN the joy bike riding brings and that it works! The child and teacher are both comfortable with the learning process required for successful bike riding. The child is comfortable getting on the bike for multiple attempts; because he trusts the process, believes in himself and feels the support of those around him.
This learning process ideally unfolds at birth as is noted in one Best for Babes "Booby Traps"(TM) regarding the impact of birth on breastfeeding. For more information about breastfeeding and birth, see the previous post here Mothers Yearn for Their Babies at Birth.
When our image driven culture is immersed in positive breastfeeding images, it will help our culture more easily embrace breastfeeding. This will give mothers the clear message that breastfeeding their babies is fully supported, not just by data on its benefits but by a societal comfort zone that is consistent with what moms are being told about breastfeeding's importance in their health and their babies' health.
Check out Best for Babes recent full page ad in USA Today (see p. 23 of this document) putting out that much needed positive breastfeeding image and message for the public to embrace! "The miracle isn't the bra. The miracle is ....."
