Blossom Baby Lehigh Valley Lactation Services

10/23/2024

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Do you want to know one of the biggest ways you can reduce your risk of breast cancer and other reproductive cancers? BREASTFEED! When a woman is pregnant/breastfeeding, estrogen is suppressed. The longer that you breastfeed and go without a period, the greater the protective benefits are. The reason for this is because it cumulatively reduces your overall lifetime exposure to estrogen, which is what feeds many reproductive cancers. Most providers have women fill out a survey to determine their Tyrer-Cuzick score, which is currently the "best" screening tool providers have, and it looks at these factors:

*Age
*Height and weight
*Breast density
*History and results of breast biopsies
*Personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
*Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
*History of hormone use
*Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, if applicable
*Age when they had their first menstrual period
*Age when they first gave birth, if applicable
*Age at menopause, if applicable
*Age of cancer diagnosis, if applicable

MY question is, why is # of months breastfeeding not included on this list!?!?!? The age you get your period as well as when you start menopause are factored in because starting a period early and going through menopause late both increase your cancer risk due to *more years of exposure to higher estrogen levels.* You can't control many of these factors listed, but you CAN choose to breastfeed, especially if you are at high risk.

Also, this is your PSA to go get that mammogram if you are over the age of 40, or have other risk factors/doctor recommendations to go sooner based on personal circumstances.

And most importantly- nothing replaces monthly self breast exams! Nobody knows your body better than you, and I can guarantee you that your GYN doesn't remember what your breasts felt like from last year's exam, so make self-checking a regular habit :)

09/24/2023

Isn’t this just so amazing?!

“When a baby suckles at its mother's breast, a vacuum is created. Within that vacuum, the infant's saliva is sucked back into the mother's ni**le, where receptors in her mammary gland read its signals. This "baby spit backwash," as she delightfully describes it, contains information about the baby's immune status. Everything scientists know about physiology indicates that baby spit backwash is one of the ways that breast milk adjusts its immunological composition. If the mammary gland receptors detect the presence of pathogens, they compel the mother's body to produce antibodies to fight it, and those antibodies travel through breast milk back into the baby's body, where they target the infection.”
credit: The Natural Parent Magazine

08/28/2023

I would totally buy “Breastfeeding Barbie” ☺️🤱🏼

Ok Midge may have been discontinued because the idea of a pregnant doll was uncomfortable or something but a Breastfeeding Barbie like this would be AMAZING!

08/01/2023

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

07/27/2023

My new website is now live, check it out! :)

blossombabylactation.com

07/25/2023

Great news!! While I have always accepted Aetna, I have now partnered with The Lactation Network and can accept several other insurances that cover 6+ lactation consultations (home or virtual) at 100% (specifically most BC/BC PPO, Anthem PPO, Humana PPO, Cigna PPO plans, plus those whose insurance plan has the PNOA or Multiplan logos).

If you want to set up a visit and find out if your specific insurance will pay, you can use this link or QR code to book directly with me:

https://go.lactationnetwork.com/BlossomBabyLehighValleyLactationServices

07/22/2023

The looks on these momma’s faces says it all 😂 Have you ever been touched out when nursing your little one? I know I have! 🙈

07/17/2023

Some beautiful breastfeeding art from my recent trip to Italy!

07/17/2023

https://people.com/pets/orangutan-learns-nursing-from-breastfeeding-zookeeper/

Even Orangutans need help breastfeeding when they haven't seen it in their natural environment!

Zoe the orangutan learned how to nurse her new baby by watching a breastfeeding demonstration from a Metro Richmond Zoo staff member.

05/28/2022

💯!!!

"Just breastfeed" is not a helpful response to the formula shortage crisis.

Anyone that has lactated can tell you there's very little "just" to it.

And even if it was easy, simple, or possible for everyone (which it isn't), getting a milk supply established when there hasn't been one takes time. A lot of time. And energy. And work. And support. And sometimes medications and herbs. And equipment. And space. And more time.

And babies don't have time.

Babies need to be fed TODAY.

People that suggest "just breastfeed/relactate" do not understand the physiology of human lactation. It is a process that for many "just happens" and that's great but when that isn't the case it is a complex system of hormones, anatomy, and more including lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of time with your ni**les spent hooked up to a suction machine HOPING to get drops of milk.

So much time.

And babies don't have time.

Babies need to be fed TODAY.

And a reminder, this formula shortage doesn't just impact babies, it also impacts other vulnerable populations such as those children and adults that require special formulas for tube feeding and other feeding requirements. "Just breastfeed" doesn't help them at all.

So no, "just breastfeed" is not a helpful, informed, or appropriate response when someone is unable to find a safe feeding option for their infant.

Now what? What can we do?

We're talking about that today with an incredible panel of experts. Practical options and important considerations plus, nobody will say to "just breastfeed."

Join us right here on The Leaky B**b page for this LIVE (or playback to watch later) TODAY at 1pm EDT/noon CDT/10am PDT

Tune in to hear why these experts won't say "just breastfeed" to families in need of formula and what practical info they share instead.

Expert panel:
Angela Bond, PhD, MS, BS
Avery Young, MS, M.Ed, IBCLC
Bryna Hayden, IBCLC
Chanelle Andrews, BA, IBCLC, CBS
Kristin Cavuto, MSW, LCSW, IBCLC
Nichelle Clark, IBCLC, RLC, CBS

05/16/2022

This.

There is so much to say about the US formula shortages situation and I’m going to reshare a few key posts.

For anyone asking ‘why don’t women just breastfeed’ … ‘why don’t they relactate?’ … ‘don’t they know that breast is best?’

Errr.

Many, many women would like to ‘just breastfeed’. But they aren’t because they were phenomenally let down by a system that told them that breast is best then put a load of barriers in their way.

Many will be carrying immense grief with them because of that and then face not being able to feed their baby because of formula shortages. How is banging on about breastfeeding being ‘best’ going to help them right now? It’s cruel, pointless and far more complex than that. I’ll share the other post on that too.

The simple fact is that in countries where breastfeeding is properly supported, breastfeeding rates are high. Women are more likely to be able to feed as long as they want to.

However in many countries systematic disinvestment in breastfeeding, women and families means that women cannot get the support they need to breastfeed - whether that is medical, practical, emotional, support at home, support going back to work ... or just accurate and consistent information.

They end up stopping breastfeeding and blaming themselves when it was the system that so badly let them down. It then lets them blame themselves as it's easier than investing in the resources and infrastructure needed to fix things.

They're left with all sorts of emotions from grief to regret to anger and are then often met with a dismissal of those emotions rather than opportunity to process them. And even then, when they reach out for support to bottle feed, that's missing too. And now a formula shortage.

This often isn’t a choice.

This isn't women's failure, it's a systemic failure.

Blame the government for not investing. Blame the companies. Blame society for not valuing mothering or human milk.

But step away from any suggestions of blame or responsibility directed at mothers and focus on supporting them instead.

03/01/2022

Yes, this!!! So sad! Always always make sure you are preparing formula properly. 💔

Federal health officials say that a second infant has died after consuming powdered baby formula manufactured at a Michigan plant that investigators have linked to bacterial infections.

09/01/2021

Yes to this! ❤️

03/20/2020

❤️

Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of asthma and respiratory infection. Do all you can to support your baby's immune system. Please consider donating any extra breastmilk you have. If you formula feed, do not hoard the formula. If you are not on WIC, please buy a different brand then the state contracted formula. Those who are on WIC cannot choose any other brand.

03/10/2020

Good info on breastfeeding and Coronavirus!

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.