Monroe County Lactation

11/17/2025

Human milk is the only biologically active food on the planet.
It contains living cells, stem cells, immunoglobulins, lysozymes, lactoferrin, HMOs, hormones, cytokines, enzymes, microRNA, antimicrobials, antivirals, and over 1,000 molecular components that scientists are still discovering.

Every single feed triggers a biochemical feedback loop:
your baby’s saliva signals your mammary glands, your glands adjust the concentration of antibodies, and the composition of your milk shifts within minutes to meet that exact need.

Breast milk is not “liquid gold” because it’s cute it’s liquid gold because it is a dynamic, species-specific, immunologically active substance engineered by human evolution to protect human infants.

The more we study it, the clearer it becomes:
breast milk isn’t just nutrition it’s a living system.
A biological masterpiece that no lab has ever been able to duplicate.

11/13/2025

A lower risk of breast cancer has long been recognized among the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers. Now, researchers are closer to understanding why.

A new study found that:
✅ Having babies and breastfeeding causes CD8+ T cells—a special type of immune cell—to accumulate in normal breast tissue.
✅ These protective cells remain in the tissue for decades after childbirth.
✅ They act as long-term guards, helping prevent breast cancer—especially the aggressive triple-negative type.
✅ However, this protective T-cell response was observed ONLY after a full cycle of lactation and breast recovery.

Lifelong health benefits for babies AND mothers—that’s why BFUSA partners with facilities to support every family in meeting their breastfeeding goals.🤱🏽

11/08/2025

Looking into your delivering hospital and what they offer sets the stage for a favorable birth story.

This Holiday weekend, lactation professionals from all across our state will be traveling to the Annual BEST at the Beach Conference which will take place November 9-10. One of our main conference focuses is the MPinc Score (both the National and State). Here’s some fun information for you!

🤱 What is the mPINC score — and why does it matter?

mPINC stands for Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care.
It’s a nationwide survey from the CDC that measures how well hospitals support breastfeeding and safe infant feeding.

Hospitals are scored from 0–100 based on practices like:

✨ Skin-to-skin care right after birth
✨ Rooming-in (keeping baby with parents 24/7)
✨ Lactation support and follow-up
✨ Avoiding formula unless medically necessary
✨ Staff training and breastfeeding-friendly policies

The most recent national average score in the U.S. is 82/100 and the Alabama Score is 76/100.

Higher mPINC scores = better hospital practices = stronger breastfeeding success.

Here’s why it matters:

When hospitals support breastfeeding, families are more likely to meet their feeding goals.

This data empowers communities, breastfeeding advocates, and hospitals to work together to improve care for moms and babies.

Strong maternity care practices don’t just happen —
they happen on purpose. 💙

11/06/2025

11/02/2025

Breastfeeding has been linked to a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It reduces lifetime exposure to estrogen, delays ovulation, and promotes healthy breast cell differentiation, all factors that work together to help protect against cancer. The longer a parent breastfeeds, the greater the protective effect.

[Image Description] A photo of an infant nursing in a mother's arm. Text reads, "Breastfeeding is linked to a decreased risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer." The La Leche League USA logo sits below the text.

10/29/2025

10/29/2025

Your breastmilk is basically magic...

It changes every single feed - even every sip — to give your baby exactly what they need.
Inside every drop you'll find:

💧 Water - about 87% for hydration
💪 Proteins - for growth & immune support
🧠 Fats - for energy, brain & eye development
🤱 Carbs - for energy, gut health & calcium absorption
Vitamins & Minerals - for growth & health
💛 Antibodies — to fight infection
🌟 Hormones & Growth Factors - to aid development & bonding

No two mamas' milk is the same — it's made just for your baby.

10/25/2025

The 2025 Cochrane review on immediate and early skin-to-skin contact after birth highlights that further randomized controlled trials comparing skin-to-skin contact with ‘usual care’ are no longer ethical.

The findings show there is now enough evidence to make immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth the global standard of care, and as WHO already recommends skin-to-skin the standard of care, the authors argue that randomizing the separation of mother and newborn may no longer be justifiable.

Read more:
https://centerforbreastfeeding.org/cochrane-review-2025

10/13/2025

Hope for fussy, gassy, and colicky babies. For parents of newborns, feeding and tummy troubles can be worrying, especially when the reason isn’t clear. What many don’t realize is that these difficulties might be due to an undiagnosed tongue-tie or lip-tie. If your baby shows any of these symptom...

10/11/2025

October 10th marks World Mental Health Day - and invites us to open up the conversation about perinatal and maternal mental health.

Studies have shown that breastfeeding can have a positive effect on parents' mental health - by increasing oxytocin production, lowering inflammation and cortisol levels, and more.
And while breastfeeding cannot cure depression, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience for a new parent and many mothers report a boost in self confidence when breastfeeding is going well.

However, we're also all too familiar with the heartbreak & grief a mother may experience when she had hoped to breastfeed, but wasn't able to.
We recognize how important it is for any new parent to feel supported in their feeding choices and how crucial it is to receive evidence based information and compassionate support when breastfeeding becomes difficult.

At La Leche League, we often say "for every breastfeeding problem, there is a breastfeeding solution".
This doesn't mean that we disapprove of families choosing to discontinue breastfeeding - it means that if you want to breastfeed, our volunteers will listen to you, take your choice seriously and support you in finding ways to make breastfeeding possible.

All La Leche League Leaders are volunteers who have personal breastfeeding experience and have been internationally trained and accredited.

To learn more about breastfeeding and mental health, check out the below article on the LLL website:
https://llli.org/news/why-breastfeeding-is-good-for-mothers-mental-health/

10/10/2025

08/09/2025

🌎💙 World Breastfeeding Week 2025 💙🌎
Theme: Creating Sustainable Support Systems

Breastfeeding is not just a journey between a mother and baby — it’s a team effort.
One of the most powerful ways to help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals is partner support.

💡 When partners:
✅ Encourage and reassure
✅ Help with household tasks
✅ Protect time for rest and feeding
✅Wash pump/bottle parts
✅Care for mother’s physical needs
✅ Advocate for mom’s needs in public and private spaces
…they’re building a sustainable support system that makes breastfeeding success more likely.

🤝 A supportive partner doesn’t just make the journey easier — they help strengthen the bond between the whole family. Together, we can create an environment where mothers feel empowered, babies thrive, and families grow stronger.

💬 Partners — your support matters more than you know.
This , let’s commit to lifting each other up and creating lasting systems of care.