It has been thought that the taste of our breastmilk can change after exercise, due to a raise in lactic acid levels. This theory appears to have been debunked in this study: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/89/6/1245.short There is evidence, however, that what we eat can affect the Continue Reading
Why Just One Day?
This post is dedicated to all the amazing doulas I know who 'mother the mother', to every breastfeeding support worker I know and to every single mother I have ever supported - you are all incredible. One day? One day of the year we get. Just one. One day to appreciate, to thank, to hug to our Continue Reading
“In Yer Basket!”, or, the cult of the baby-trainer
I don't think it ever seriously occurred to me that what I had just pushed out of my body wasn't a human being. I was definitely completely certain it wasn't a puppy (despite my strange pregnancy dreams) or a robot. After a bit of kip, a cuddle and a coo, I was quickly convinced that this thing in Continue Reading
Mama on the Move – Breastfeeding with an Audience?
Public breastfeeding, Nursing in Public (NIP) or my daughter's favourite, 'mama on the move' is a controversial subject. Particularly in the US it seems, there is a constant stream of press and blog articles about whether it should be allowed at all, let alone discreetly. The lines seem clearly Continue Reading
The First Days of Feeding
Babies are usually born with a jolly good covering of brown fat. This is to sustain them in the early days. They don't really need 'feeding' as such in the first few days, in fact, in an average 'feed' is only about 5-7mls at a time. Nature is therefore perfectly designed to start this feeding Continue Reading
Breastfeeding Blues: Feeling Sad When Nursing
This is a guest post by an inspiring mother called Alena Lewis. Her determination to nurse her baby despite the challenge of D-MER. Don't know what that is? Read on! Many thanks, Alena for sharing your story. Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex What the duck is that? I hear you ask... well apart from a Continue Reading
Breastfeeding Support-Doulas: Boundaries and Benefits
I've spent my working life thinking about boundaries in one capacity or another and have been through the pain of working out why it's important for me to understand where my role begins and ends as a doula, breastfeeding counsellor and doula course leader and believe me, sometimes it's difficult to Continue Reading
RCM Reports new Doula UK Initiative
During World Doula Week, a new doula initiative is announced. Reported here by the Royal College of Midwives - doulas are working to provide support to those most in need. http://www.rcm.org.uk/midwives/news/new-doula-initiative-is-announced/ Continue Reading
Carrying Vs Caching – Which are We?
Infant care: Cache or Carry To test the hypothesis that a characteristic infant-care pattern existed during most of human history, contemporary hunter-gatherers in a representative sample of world cultures were examined. Numerically coded measures of infant care revealed a uniform pattern. Mothers Continue Reading
Wearing Your Baby?
http://www.wearyourbaby.com/ http://thefeministbreeder.com/the-big-bad-baby-carrier-review/ www.thebabywearer.com http://www.naturalmamas.co.uk/ Just a few sites to get you going if you want to find out more about carrying/wearing your baby for hands-free parenting. I'll add more here Continue Reading