Busting loose

I eat carefully to feel good and stay healthy; this means no dairy, no wheat, lots of fruits and vegetables (always organic), and no sugar. This is good for me; my blood pressure, my gut and my weight are happy.  I am not tempted to eat such things anymore, and enjoy an increasing commitment to.. read more →

Maybe we’ve missed the boat.

Healthcare workers teach about breastfeeding using the information they know already. Most of this is about the benefits to babies’ and mothers’ health, now and in the future. Maybe that isn’t helpful. Evidence about benefits is a foundation for our work, a reason supporting what we do and justifying our salaries,  but maybe it ignores.. read more →

Why a bottle of formula appeals.

This morning’s cartoon from my favorite strip, For Better or For Worse, gave me an insight.   For most of my whole working life, I have worked to encourage exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months, and sustained breastfeeding for as long as possible.  However, while many women dream of breastfeeding for a long time, there.. read more →

No such thing as coincidence. . . .

Carolyn Myss PhD, the medical intuitive, has said something like,  “There are no such things as coincidences. Coincidences are for amateurs”.  In other words, everything in the universe is connected. I have found this to be true. This weekend is probably the last weekend on this planet for my daughter’s sister-in-law, who has been working.. read more →

Purging stuff.

Mother’s Day was different this year; I spent it purging. Ever since I left home at 17, I have been accumulating stuff: letters and photographs, books and clothes, newspapers and toys, records and old typewriters, furniture and dishes. My grandmothers impressed upon me the value of old things, of cherishing things and passing them on… read more →

Lactation consultant headache #3, 700, 006!

My client had chosen to stay in the pediatric unit with her newborn, who was being kept to treat an infection with intravenous antibiotics In this way, she was able to breastfeed whenever her baby needed, and keep her baby in arms. Two nurses on one night shift strongly urged my client to put her.. read more →