Breastfeeding Information on the Internet
by Donna Walls, RN, BSN, IBCLC, ANLC Many, probably most new mothers are looking for information and answers to their concerns on the internet. The internet is often the first […]
Category: Breastfeeding
The Family Counselor Program Certification: A Collaboration Between ICEA and the Healthy Children Project
This collaboration grew out of discussions over many years between Dr. Abla Al Alfy’s team, an Egyptian pediatrician with the Ministry of Health and Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, and the Healthy Children Project’s team.
How did I get here? Are you Next?
I am the current ICEA Board Treasurer. It’s hard to believe but this is my fourth and final year in this role. It’s been a blast. That said, I was an unlikely candidate. When I started my first term, I had never been on a board, and I was a new ICCE. To quote one of my favorite songs, “How did I get here?”
ICEA in Kyrgyzstan
Cultural differences may seem to divide us, but the underlying care and concern for our families is one of those universal considerations that draws us together.
The “Missing Piece” Of Childbirth Education
Everyone has a unique microbiome. This is a microscopic ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms that live on and in us. The vast majority of these microorganisms are either harmless or actually beneficial to human health.
Nestle Into Your Nursing Nest
Building a nursing nest in the early-to-middle part of the third trimester can be a special ritual in preparing for baby and breastfeeding. The early preparation helps moms immensely, especially for those early days after baby’s arrival when babies typically nurse frequently and moms feel exhausted.
Reducing Fear in Expecting Families During COVID-19
Childbirth educators are in a unique position to help families reduce and manage fear because we are experts in the three E’s: Education, Empowerment, and Encouragement.
Two Beautiful Children’s Books To Use In Your Classroom
Both of the these books are a good resource in any childbirth educator’s library. The books could also be sent home with parents who are wanting to encourage an understanding to older siblings.
Two Important Lactation Care Questions Answered
Every corner of the world can face an emergency: wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, snowstorms, and the resulting disruptions to infrastructure — like unsafe drinking water — can impact our daily routines. Having a plan for how to care for your nursling during challenging times can help reduce everyone’s stress and keep your family healthy.
Eight Strategies for Breastfeeding During a Natural Disaster
Every corner of the world can face an emergency: wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, snowstorms, and the resulting disruptions to infrastructure — like unsafe drinking water — can impact our daily routines. Having a plan for how to care for your nursling during challenging times can help reduce everyone’s stress and keep your family healthy.
Breastfeeding and the Environment
Each year the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (WABA) chooses a theme for World Breastfeeding Week celebrations around the world which is celebrated every year August 1-7. For 2020 the theme is “Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet.”
Life as an Exclusive Expresser
After becoming pregnant the first time, one thing I knew right from the start was that I would breastfeed my child. I knew it might require a little bit to master breastfeeding after birth, but I felt confident that my baby and I could achieve it. Little did I know that my baby’s severe tongue-tie and lip-tie would make it a lot less simple than I imagined—and forever change my preconceived notions of there being only one “right” way to provide human milk.
Systemic Racism Affects Every Aspect of Life
Starting with pregnancy and birth care and continuing throughout the lifespan of Black Americans, systemic racism affects every aspect of life, from housing to health care to criminal justice to education to employment.
Learning to Trust My Body’s Birth & Breastfeeding Powers
I never thought I would breastfeed my baby because I was not breastfed. I also never believed I could face birth. After all, pain as tiny as a paper cut drives me crazy! But all those assumptions began to change when a family friend who is a former La Leche League Leader gifted to me The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding when I was pregnant.
GALS involved in Birth Support
Every day our ICEA community shows strong support to pregnant and birthing women as educators, birth doulas, post-partum doulas and in other related roles. I offer up this blog post as an example of the power of birth support and how a community came together in a unique way to provide that support.
What is the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative?
The WHO and UNICEF administer the BFHI program internationally and work with the national authority in each country which confers the Baby-Friendly® designation in their nation. More than 20,000 maternity facilities in 150 countries around the world have earned the Baby-Friendly designation.
Breastfeeding and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
As with any topic, I try to find the balance and work with the individual family. Breastfeeding can work and can be therapeutic while dealing with mood and anxiety disorders. It’s a matter of delving into the family dynamics and figuring out what is going to work; what is best for the situation.
The Safe Use of Essential Oils
The essential oils are literally the plant oils distilled from aromatic plants. This concentrated oil can be used in many ways, but like the plants, must be used respectfully. Essential oils produce an aroma, most often pleasant, and thought of as medicinally benign.
Implicit Bias
Implicit bias can be defined as “attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.” What is means is that we act or make decisions/assumptions without conscious thoughts.
Breastmilk: Research Shows It Can Destroy Cancer Cells!
There are some research articles surfacing touting the ability of breastmilk to actually destroy cancer cells. Substances found only in breastmilk, alpha-lactalbumin, combined with fatty acids (most commonly oleic acid) have the capability of destroying malignant tumor cells.
Analyzing Mother’s Milk
In December of 2018 the Food and Drug Administration approved the first “milk analyzer” marketed as a tool to manage the nutritional needs of infants at risk for growth failure. Many breastfeeding advocates are concerned about not only how these tests are used but also the message being sent to breastfeeding mothers.
Help Us Provide 20 Scholarships: Donate on #GivingTuesday
The world needs more Childbirth Educators, Birth Doulas, and Postpartum Doulas who value compassion, collaboration, and choice. We need your help to enroll 20 professionals in an ICEA Certification Program. […]
Lactation After Infant Loss
by Cynthia Billiar, BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC, ANLC, CD(DONA), ICBD, ICCE, SpBCPE Whether an infant loss is perinatal, neonatal, or that of an older infant/child, it is personal and unique to every […]
Making Breastfeeding the Norm through The Breastfeeding Family-Friendly Community Designation (BFCD)
by Donna Walls, RN, BSN, ICCE, IBCLC, ANLC The Breastfeeding Family- Friendly Community Designation (BFCD) was developed as a request from the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) to implement […]