Podcast: Preparing for a VBAC, with the president of the International Cesarean Awareness Network

We’re very pleased to share a podcast interview on vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) with Desirre Andrews, president of the International Cesarean Awareness Network.

Desiree and Tanya talked about the history of VBAC, barriers and access to VBAC, and how to prepare for one.  We also discussed ICAN’s research about hospital VBAC bans, and the 2010 National Institutes of Health statement on VBAC.

You can listen to this podcast using the player below, using Quicktime, or by downloading it at Motherlove’s iTunes store.

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Podcast: Actress Mayim Bialik on attachment parenting “Beyond the Sling”

We’re very excited to share an interview with actress Mayim Bialik!

Mayim is best known for her roles as Blossom Russo on the ’90′s sitcom Blossom, as a young Bette Midler in Beaches, and currently as Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory.  She received a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA in 2007.

But did you know that Mayim is also lactation educator and spokesperson for the Holistic Moms Network?  Her new book, Beyond the Sling: A real-life guide to raising confident, loving children the attachment parenting way is out this week.

She talked with Tanya Lieberman about the intersection of her life as a scientist and as a mother, how breastfeeding figured into her parenting experience, why attachment parenting appeals to a broad spectrum of faiths, why her husband initially thought that elimination communication was a ridiculous idea, and how she straddles the worlds of Hollywood and parenting.

You can listen to the interview using the player below, with Quicktime, or by downloading it from Motherlove’s free iTunes store.

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Podcast: Birth on TV and in the movies

We’re pleased to present an interview with Vicki Elson, creator of the film Laboring Under an Illusion, on birth in the media.

Vicki talked with Tanya Lieberman about common themes in birth on TV and in movies, the worst and best (and wierdest!) depictions of birth, and recent trends in reality TV and homemade birth videos on the web.  They discussed the depictions of partners in media births, and the influence that media births have on mothers’ perceptions and fears about childbirth.  You can see some of the clips we discussed in the trailer below.

You can listen to this podcast using the player below, listen online with Quicktime, or download it from Motherlove’s free iTunes store!

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Podcast: How to care for your c-section scar, with the author of Ending Female Pain

Did you know that in some countries in Europe all moms who have had c-sections get physical therapy to care for their incisions and recover from the surgery?

Did you know that some women go for years with pain and other complications from their c-section scars, when some simple exercises make a big difference?

Isa Herrera wishes that wishes that all mothers had great care after their c-sections.  She is a physical therapist and owner of Renew Physical Therapy in New York, where she specializes in caring for women’s gynecologic pain.  She is author of Ending Female Pain: A Woman’s Manual.

Isa spoke with Tanya Lieberman about how mothers can care for their c-section scars, reduce pain, and increase mobility.  They discussed scar massage and yoga poses, and other ways to help us recover.

You can listen to the interview using the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download it at Motherlove’s free iTunes store.

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Podcast: Biological Nurturing and Laid Back Breastfeeding, with Suzanne Colson

We’re very pleased to share this podcast interview with Dr. Suzanne Colson, pioneering researcher known for her work developing the concept of Biological Nurturing.

She is the author of An Introduction to Biological Nurturing and the DVD Biological Nurturing: Laid-Back Breastfeeding for Mothers.

Suzanne talked with Tanya Lieberman about the concept of Biological Nurturing, the primitive neonatal reflexes she has identified, why babies sometimes fight or “box” the breast when feeding in traditionally-taught breastfeeding holds, and why she believes babies are “front feeders” and not “dorsal feeders.”

One note:  This interview was recorded in the busy hallway at a breastfeeding conference, and as a result the audio is not up to our usual standard.  We hope you enjoy it anyway!

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download and listen through our free iTunes store!

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Podcast: How can you avoid getting “pushed” into a birth you don’t want?

We’re very pleased to share a podcast interview with Jennifer Block, the author of Pushed: The Painful Truth about Modern Maternity Care.

Pushed shines a bright light on the state of maternity care in the U.S., from record-high induction and cesarean rates, to the legal obstacles to midwifery.  Whether you’re expecting a baby or want to advocate for change, you’ll want to read this book.

Tanya Lieberman spoke with Jennifer about the ways in which moms are ‘pushed’ or denied care, the projection that the cesarean rate will hit 50%, recent changes in recommendations for VBAC, and what mothers can do to avoid getting ‘pushed.’

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download the podcast from our free iTunes store.

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Podcast: How to “milk” your maternity leave and pumping rights

Few things are as important as figuring out how long you’ll be able to leave work to be at home with a new baby, but most moms find the web of state, federal, and employer policies about maternity leave confusing to downright mysterious.

Enter Lauren Wallenstein.  Lauren is a former human resources manager who now helps moms decipher what these policies mean to them, and helps them advocate to get the full leave they’re entitled to.  Her business is called Milk Your Benefits.

Tanya Lieberman, IBCLC spoke with Lauren about when moms should start figuring out their leave plans, what makes it all so confusing, and mistakes moms sadly make in the process of using their leave.  They also discussed the new federal law granting a right to pump at work to most moms.

You can listen to this podcast with the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download it at our free iTunes store (available later in the day).

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Myth: Breastfeeding after breast implant surgery causes sagging

A recent study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has found that mothers who have had breast implant surgery and who believe that breastfeeding will cause their breasts to sag are far less likely to succeed with breastfeeding than those who don’t hold this belief.

In this study of 160 women, researchers found that 86% of the women who believed that breastfeeding after implant surgery would cause their breasts to sag were unsuccessful at breastfeeding for two weeks or more, while only 13% of the women who didn’t hold this belief were unable to breastfeed for that period.  The Society notes that, “the only significant difference between the two groups was the perceived effect breastfeeding would have on the appearance of their breasts.”

Breastfeeding, the researchers point out, has not been shown to cause breast sagging in women with or without implants:  “although breasts sag more with each pregnancy, breast-feeding doesn’t seem to worsen these effects in women with or without breast implants.”

This is one of a number of myths about breastfeeding after implant and other breast surgeries.  To help separate fact from fiction, we encourage you to visit Diana West, IBCLC’s website, Breastfeeding after Breast and Nipple Surgeries.  This site contains the best up-to-date collection of evidence-based information on breastfeeding after a variety of surgeries.

We recorded a podcast with Diana West on breast surgeries and breastfeeding and would recommend listening to our interview, too!

Podcast: Here comes The Milk Truck!

Starting this month, residents of Pittsburgh may see a converted ice cream truck with a five foot breast and police-light flashing nipple on the road.  It’s The Milk Truck!

Tanya Lieberman, IBCLC got to chat with Jill Miller, the creator of The Milk Truck about how it works, the inspiration for the project, whether nursing stations can imply that nursing in public is inappropriate, and how art and humor can be used to challenge perceptions and start conversations.

You can listen to the interview using the podcast player below, listen with Quicktime, or listen through Motherlove’s free iTunes store!

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Podcast: Making milk when there is no baby to feed

We’re very pleased to share an interview on the rarely discussed issue of lactation after the loss of a baby.

Tanya Lieberman, IBCLC talked with Jessica Wellborn, a graduate student who studied milk donation after perinatal loss.  She is the donor coordinator at the Mothers’ Milk Bank of San Jose.

Tanya and Jessica talked about the experience of lactation after mothers lose babies – either in pregnancy, at birth, or as infants – and the range of feelings and challenges it rasies.  This is a poorly recognized issue, and we’re happy to spread the word about it.

Tanya, in partnership with her local loss support group, also helped to prepare a brochure for mothers who have experience a loss, and we’re happy to share it here.

You can listen to this podcast with the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download it at our free iTunes store.

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