Lactivist Activist

Breastfeeding Perceptions   By Jill Lancaster RN BSN IBCLC   (Originally written 11/29/2012)   A few months ago I was at a local mall in the eatery with my family. As I was leaving, I noticed a young mother with several family members beginning to breastfeed her baby under a cute cover-up. I couldn’t contain my approval, and I walked up to this cute mom to tell her so. As I approached this young mother, I could see the faces of each grandmother turn leery. I think they fully expected me to chastise their daughter for breastfeeding in a public place. Instead, I simply told her how proud I was of her for breastfeeding her baby there. I wanted her to know how helpful it is for other breastfeeding moms to see. Thankfully each of their faces softened as I spoke to them, and I think my little talk was a good thing. But I wonder how often breastfeeding moms get comments that are negative or hurtful. The truth is the scientific evidence is overwh...

What did your path to breastfeeding success look like?   By Jill Lancaster RN BSN IBCLC One of my favorite things to teach mothers and fathers in Prenatal Breastfeeding class is breastfeeding is “98 percent commitment, and 2 percent technique.”  ​If you really think about it, this is a very profound statement. I find most moms really worry about doing everything “exactly right” with breastfeeding. Some moms even worry if every aspect of breastfeeding isn’t going exactly as she thinks it should, she may as well give up and feed the baby formula. May I be so bold as to say there isn’t necessarily one “right way” to successfully breastfeed for moms and babies in general? Most moms will likely hear many conflicting pieces of advice from their family and friends in early pregnancy, from the nurses and doctors in the hospital after delivery, and maybe even from lactation consultants in the hospital and after discharge. She may read conflicting information from wh...

Setting yourself up to win at breastfeeding   By Jill Lancaster RN BSN IBCLC     April 12, 2013 ​Many moms tell me they never realized how hard breastfeeding would be. The truth is, although breastfeeding is the best and most natural way to feed your baby, it isn’t always the easiest way…in the beginning. ​ ​There are so many factors that may influence your breastfeeding success, including what you learned in prenatal classes, how your labor and delivery went, or who was supporting you during those early days at home. UNICEF and the World Health Organization have published 10 Steps for Breastfeeding Success meant to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding moms. Here’s my interpretation of what these 10 steps mean for a new breastfeeding mom: Make sure the facility you choose to deliver at has a  written policy on breastfeeding  that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff. At Intermountain Healthcare, our policy states...