We’re very pleased to share an abridged excerpt from the new book, The Virtual Breastfeeding Culture: Mother-to-Mother Support in the Digital Age, by Lara Audelo.

Have you benefited from the power of online mom-to-mom breastfeeding support?  Tamara’s story below is a testament to this power in making breastfeeding work.  

Tamara’s Story

Somehow through a mix of my own upbringing and arbitrary standards forced on women to be “better” or “best,” I went into motherhood with expectations that reality slowly crushed, sending me into a chasm of self-doubt. Then people — strangers — reached through the Internet and pulled me out.

It took us seven months to get pregnant for the first time, and after two active, healthy trimesters I experienced preterm labor at 27 weeks. I was rushed to the prenatal intensive care unit and given fluids and medication to stop my contractions. My husband watched the monitor with a stoic face, almost willing the contractions to stop. I remember asking him how big a baby is at 27 weeks, and his answer was, “Not big enough.”

That was the first time my heart swelled with the enormity that is motherhood. I think for most people, it happens the moment their baby is born. For me, that day was my introduction. It was heavy and scary, and I felt like my body was failing to do something that seemed effortless for other women. That prayerful day turned into ten weeks of strict bed rest and tocolysis. The days were long and fear-filled. With nothing but time on my hands, I paged through the bibles of natural birth and breastfeeding. I dog-eared pages on latch and positioning, practiced Kegel exercises, and tried not to focus on my weakening body and spirit.

Early in the morning just past 37 weeks gestation, my water broke. I leaked fluid from ruptured membranes for 12 hours without a single contraction, and as the intravenous Pitocin began to drip, my granola dreams for an un-medicated birth slipped away. I held on tight, almost to a fault, as induced back labor worked against my body, which was so weak after being confined to a hospital bed for the last 10 weeks. I got an epidural and delivered a healthy baby boy, who was placed on my chest smelling of tears and musky clay. Looking back on that moment, it was not joy that I felt; it was relief. His safe arrival was my biggest accomplishment to date.

Within minutes of his birth, I had nurses with blue gloves manipulating my breast into my son’s tiny mouth. I felt clumsy and awkward as he refused to suckle. Over the next two days doctors, nurses, and lactation consultants bustled in and out of our room watching him cry, monitoring his climbing bilirubin, and commenting on his rapid weight loss. I remember one nurse rolling in a hospital-grade breast pump. She hooked me up to two small cups and told me to pump so that I could feed my baby colostrum. I turned up the pump and sat crying over those empty cups until I had abrasions on my areolae. I was given nipple shields, a supplemental nursing system and breast shells. My feelings of failure culminated with my husband finger-feeding our hungry baby formula, doctor’s orders.  I had been a mother for less than 48 hours, and already I felt like I had failed him. People were examining me as if I was auditioning to be a mother: watching me struggle with nursing, with sleeping, with balance. I remember once we had our son home, I was trying to bring him to the breast before supplementing with pumped milk, and my mother said, “none of my babies ever cried like that.”…

I felt like both my pregnancy and birth expectations had slipped away, and I refused to give up on nursing. After a particularly frustrating day of trying to get my son to latch followed by finger feeding him milk and pumping every two hours, I posted a Facebook status about how hard it all was.  A friend I hadn’t talked to since high school messaged me with her story and offered me help and support. Then another message came in, this time from a college friend, again commiserating with how consuming it all is at first, but encouraging me nonetheless. People I hadn’t talked to in years, even blog comments from people I had never even met–all cheering me on. These women were sharing their stories and encouraging me to nurse my baby.

I found a local La Leche League meeting, and was so embarrassed to attend with a baby who screamed at the breast. I sat through the meeting with my tiny infant in a room full of strangers telling their stories. I was amazed as they shared so many of the same feelings that had kept me so isolated. Meeting after meeting, I watched and shared, and learned not only to breastfeed but to be a mother.  I found a weekly Twitter chat on Thursday nights called #bfcafe. Women used this hashtag all week to ask questions and share anecdotal stories and pictures of their breastfeeding journey. The women behind the hashtag–they lifted me up too.

My firstborn latched after 11 weeks and went on to nurse for 25 months, when he self-weaned. Those online messages, La Leche League meetings, Twitter chats, and blog posts got me through eight months of biting, chronic milk blisters, growth spurts, and multiple nursing strikes. At the same time, these strangers, friends, and strangers-turned-friends celebrated a love for nursing. They modeled parenting at the breast and helped me to revel in a motherly confidence that grew with each feeding.

We suffered a miscarriage when my son was a little older than a year, but became pregnant for a third time last Fall.  My firstborn weaned half way through my second trimester on his own terms. With this pregnancy, a lot of fear came flooding back surrounding my miscarriage, preterm labor, birth trauma, and nursing difficulties. I read through forums on the La Leche League website, reached out to friends who had a second child, and prepared myself and my body, for birth and breastfeeding.  I found a doula, talked to lactation consultants, and shared my fears online. I reached far and wide, and got back nothing but love and support in return.

I birthed my second son naturally in three hours and with only three pushes, in a hospital with the help of my husband and our doula. My body successfully carried a baby to 39 weeks, and I bravely and confidently gave birth to him on my own terms. They say you don’t get a medal for birthing naturally, but you actually get more. I have never felt more powerful, confident, or feminine than I did on that day. I put him to my breast and he nursed without hesitation from his very first feeding.  My firstborn made me a mother, and my second child made me an even stronger one. Each time I nurse, I am hit with an instant wave of motherly love and vulnerability that comes with seeing your children grow. In succeeding at this primitive task, I have gained not only two secure and healthy boys, but also a mothering self-efficacy that can never be taken away.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about being a mother and about nursing my children. I have reached out to friends and strangers. I started sharing my journey through my writing. I shared my struggles, my triumphs, and my love for breastfeeding with the World Wide Web. I gave personal and intimate details of my postpartum anxiety, my birth stories, my miscarriage, and our weaning ceremony. I shared it all unapologetically, not because I am an expert on motherhood, but because I discovered that reading other women’s stories is a vital piece to navigating the journey. I wanted to give back a small portion of what was given to me.  I’ve supported, without judgment, women who nursed for six days and women who nursed for six years. I have shared my breastfeeding story over and over until that pain went away, and then I did everything in my power to help other mothers never have to feel the way that I did because I wasn’t alone–and I never failed. I am so grateful to the women who reached out to me, and if I have helped one person nurse one baby during one moment of weakness, I’ve done enough.

We don’t live in an age where upon giving birth, we can be swept underneath a red tent by our elders to learn by example how to nurse, love, and care for our children, but we do live in a time where honest, supportive, and knowledgeable women can be found at any moment of the day or night with just the click of a mouse. Just log onto Twitter while you are feeding an infant, bleary-eyed at 3 a.m.; someone else across the country is staring at her phone doing the exact same thing. The two of you are instantly connected. Reach out and share the journey.

These formulas are carefully composed to address different causes of low milk supply and different situations.  They use combinations of herbs to balance and enhance their effects.

Which ones is right for you?  Here’s our guide to determining which Motherlove product will meet your needs:

My milk supply has dropped.  This may have happened because of a separation, illness, pumping, going back to work, or another reason.

We recommend our More Milk Plus formula.  It’s Motherlove’s most popular product, and the best-selling breastfeeding supplement in the US. It contains fenugreek, blessed thistle, nettle, and fennel seed. This combination helps most women increase their supply within 24-48 hours. Available in a grain alcohol or alcohol-free liquid extract; and as a liquid extract concentrate in vegetarian capsules. Not for use during pregnancy.

I need to increase milk supply, and I have PCOS, insufficient glandular tissue (breast hypoplasia), have had breast surgery, or am an adoptive mom:

We recommend our More Milk Special Blend formula, which contains the herbs in More Milk Plus blended with goat’s rue, an herb that helps to build mammary tissue. Specially-formulated at the request of lactation consultants, this product can help increase breast milk supply for women who have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), did not see an increase in breast size during pregnancy or have suspected or confirmed insufficient glandular tissue (breast hypoplasia), have had previous breast surgeries, or for adoptive mothers.  Increases in milk supply are seen after 2-3 weeks of use of this product.  Available in a grain alcohol or alcohol-free liquid extract and as a liquid extract concentrate in vegetarian capsules. This formula is not for use during pregnancy.

We also have a Goat’s Rue extract (single herb).  Goats rue is not contraindicated during pregnancy, as is fenugreek and blessed thistle, which are included in More Milk Special Blend.  Lactation consultants have used it in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy with women who know from previous pregnancies they have serious difficulty producing milk.  Available in a grain alcohol base, and as a liquid extract concentrate in vegetarian capsules. Discuss product use with a healthcare professional before using during pregnancy.

I need to increase milk supply, but I cannot take fenugreek:

We recommend our More Milk formula, which has blessed thistle, nettle and fennel but does not contain fenugreek for those who may be sensitive to its potential side effects (usually gastric upset that may occur in either mother or baby).  Not for use during pregnancy.

I’m pregnant and nursing, and need to increase my milk supply:

We recommend our More Milk Two formula, which contains raspberry leaf, nettle and alfalfa – a nourishing combination of herbs that is specially formulated to safely increase the breast milk supply of pregnant breastfeeding mothers. Alcohol-free and safe for use during pregnancy.

I prefer or need to take only Fenugreek, or that is what my lactation consultant recommended.

We recommend our Fenugreek extract. This single herb extract is most recommended by lactation consultants to quickly help increase breast milk supply. Available in an alcohol-free liquid extract. Not for use during pregnancy.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, great, cure, or prevent any disease.

But first, what does this plant have to do with witches?  It’s likely an etymological mix-up, stemming from the Middle English term “wiche,” which means pliant or bendable and has nothing to do with witches.  Or perhaps the use of the branches of the plant as divining rods is related the name.

Witch hazel is a shrub or small tree growing in the rich soils of the eastern part of the United States.  The star shaped leaves become brilliant colors in the fall while the round fruits, which have projections, shoot their seeds several feet as they ripen.

Witch hazel leaves and bark contain astringent tannins which stop internal and external bleeding. Both the bark and leaves are used to treat hemorrhoids, varicose veins, swelling and bruises, and sore nipples. Internally it stops diarrhea, vaginal discharge and excess menses. Witch hazel is an ingredient found in eye drops and many skin ointments. It was used widely by Native Americans for medicinal purposes.

And of course it’s used widely after childbirth to soothe sore perineal muscles, reduce swelling, slow bleeding, and help ease the discomfort of hemorrhoids.  Used in a bath, as a spray directly on tissues or on a pad, or as a balm on hemorrhoids, it’s an effective herbal remedy recommended by moms and doctors alike.

Witch Hazel is a key ingredient in our Rhoid Balm, Sitz Bath, Sitzbath Spray, and Sitz Bath Concentrate.

Image credit:  Wikimedia Commons

You’ll want to listen to our latest podcast on Maya Abdominal Therapy.

Tanya spoke with Catherine Gregory, a certified practitioner of the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy.  She explained the origins of the therapy, how it can help women for anything from infertility, to painful menstruation, to incontinence and digestion.  She explained what it’s like to have the therapy, how women can learn to do it for themselves, and how to find a certified practitioner.

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

Millions of women experience stress incontinence after having a baby.  And millions more will develop incontinence as they age.  But there’s a lot you can do about it, and our podcast discussion this month is all about that.

Tanya spoke with Tasha Mulligan, physical therapist and personal trainer, and creator of the Hab-It: Pelvic Floor DVD.  She’s passionate about helping women like herself rehab their pelvic floors and reverse stress incontinence.

They spoke about how the pelvic floor is related to incontinence, how to properly do Kegels, how rehabbing your pelvic floor is about much more than Kegels, and answered lots of your questions!

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

Experiencing morning sickness, or dreading it?  You’re not alone: more than half all pregnant women experience nausea in the first trimester of pregnancy. 

Here’s our guide* to using herbs, nutrition, and other therapies to manage nausea during pregnancy.

What causes morning sickness?

Morning sickness is caused by the rapid change in hormonal levels that occurs during the first weeks of pregnancy.  This change often results in nausea.  There are a some women who never feel any morning sickness at all, and most women begin to feel better at the beginning of the second trimester.  If you have severe and/or long-term nausea, if it’s accompanied by fever or pain, or it it continues well into the second trimester, be sure to consult your health care provider.

What can I do? 

Herbs: The following herbs are recommended if experiencing morning sickness.

• Ginger: recommended for both morning sickness and sea sickness. Drink ginger tea or “ginger beer,” or take ginger capsules (ginger tea with milk and honey will also help raise blood sugar.) Note: do not use excessive amounts of ginger.
• Raspberry and mint tea
• Slippery elm: made into a nutritious gruel, is easily digested. You can also buy slippery elm lozenges to suck on.
• Peach leaf tea
• Wild yam root tea or tincture in water
• Sucking on ice cubes made with any of these teas throughout the day may feel better than drinking cups of tea.

Nutrition: Eat small frequent meals with complex carbohydrates. Avoid high fat and junk foods. Eat a protein rich snack before you go to bed. Low blood sugar in the morning can cause morning sickness, so eat something before you get out of bed. Drink plenty of liquids and remember that it may be easier to drink a nutritious broth for some of your meals. Take B complex vitamins, especially vitamin B6.

Homeopathy: Natural Healing For the Pregnant Woman by Elizabeth Burch, lists many symptoms of nausea along with specific remedies for each. Common remedies for nausea include ipecac, sepia, nux vomica, and arsenicum. Only take these remedies in a homeopathic form, and consult a homeopathic practitioner for a personalized care plan.

Flower Essences: Flower essences work on the emotions. They are made by placing flowers in a clear bowl filled with spring water, and infusing them in sunlight for several hours. The finished water is usually preserved with brandy or some other type of alcohol. Bach flower essences are probably best known because of Edward Bach’s work in discovering their use on healing emotions. Mimulus and Scleranthus are two flower essences used for morning sickness.

Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy involves using a plant’s essential oils. These oils are normally very strong, and should not be taken internally without supervision. Oils can simply be sniffed or used in a spritzer to relieve nausea, stress or headaches.  Drops can be put on a handkerchief to inhale and use as a compress. Add a few drops of your favorite scent to a massage oil. Citrus smells help relax queasiness, so it may also be helpful to smell lemon slices.

Acupressure: Acupressure works by stimulating the energy meridians of the body, thus alleviating stress, increasing circulation, and relieving nausea and headaches. The acupressure points that control nausea are on the wrist crease, in line with the little finger, and in the hollow between the collarbones. Press and rub on these points throughout the day. Acupressure wrist bands are available in most drug stores for dealing with nausea and sea sickness.

Relaxation: Fears or apprehensions you may have of parenthood can cause stress. There are many ways to relieve this and other types of stress, so take the time to find those that work best for you. Quiet time alone, reading, and exercise can help. Fresh air also does wonders to relieve nausea, so get outside and breathe or keep the windows open to encourage air circulation. Daily meditation is very helpful — bring your focus to a place of calm and centeredness, repeating “I am peace.” Lay comfortably on the floor or bed and release any tension you have in your body. Start at your feet and work your way up your body, tensing and releasing all your muscle tension. Be sure to release all that you are holding onto in your belly. There are also relaxation and meditation tapes and digital recordings available for purchase.

Visualization: Is there anything in your life that is making you “sick to your stomach?” Visualize yourself moving through it and letting go. See yourself as the radiantly healthy being that you are, creating a perfect vehicle for the soul that has chosen you to be its mother. You are part of a miracle!

More Information:

• Natural Healing For the Pregnant Woman by Elizabeth Burch
• The Natural Pregnancy Book, by Aviva Jill Romm
• The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, by Joel Evans
• Mothering.com:  Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness
• About.com Alternative Medicine:  Natural Morning Sickness Remedies
• American Pregnancy Association:  Morning Sickness

*This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.  Consult your health care provider for care appropriate to your needs.

Lyme Disease is an serious infection which is on the move.  It’s spreading to new areas of the country, posing risks to mothers and babies in pregnancy and infancy, and raising questions about treatment during breastfeeding.

Tanya Lieberman spoke with Linda Smith, IBCLC about Lyme Disease in pregnancy and breastfeeding.  Linda spoke about the risks of untreated Lyme Disease, transmission from mothers to babies, symptoms of babies born infected with Lyme Disease, and whether mothers who are breastfeeding need to wean to be treated for Lyme Disease.

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, with Quicktime, or by downloading it at our free iTunes store!

Note:  This podcast is provided for educational purposes, and is not intended as medical advice.

We asked Marianne Bullock of the Prison Birth Project to answer a few questions about what the experience is like in her area of the country.  The Prison Birth Project provides prenatal, labor and postpartum support to women who are incarcerated in Western Massachusetts.  Policies regarding pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding can vary by state and facility.

How common is it that a woman gives birth while serving a prison sentence?

The percentage of women in prison who are pregnant is about the same as in our general population, so anywhere from 6-10%. The average sentence of a woman in Massachusetts is 18 months, so most of those women will give birth while incarcerated. In our facility the family counselor does work really hard to help get women out before they deliver, so often times we are lucky to be able to serve clients who are back home with their families and support them in having the birth they envisioned for themselves and their baby.

In your area, where do these mothers give birth?  What is particularly challenging for them? 

The mothers we work with give birth in the hospital. There are many obstacles and tough situations.  One of the most prevalent things is that women are transported with handcuffs to the hospital in labor and in the postpartum period are often transported in 5 point restraints, sometimes only 24 hours after delivery.

I think the most challenging thing that I am witness to as a doula is mothers having to hand off care of their children so they can return to the facility. It’s never an easy transition, but it is a situation that we work really hard with our clients to prepare for in order to make it the least traumatic as possible. Most of the time that looks like taking a lot of time to listen and plan out what will feel the safest for the mom during that transition and in the days following.

Are mothers who want to breastfeed or provide breastmilk for their babies able to do so in your area?

Breastfeeding is actually one of our biggest areas of success. A few years ago we had our first mama who wanted to breastfeed.  We put a call out and the breastfeeding coalition donated a hospital grade pump to the organization. We got it cleared with the jail and trained the staff in how to operate it.  Since then we have had a number of women choose to breastfeed and a few chose long term breastmilk for their children (one even for 9 months!). It has been amazing.  Even though women only have one hour a week to visit when they can breastfeed skin to skin, it has meant so much for bonding and some women’s ability to overcome a feeling of loss of parental control.

What does the Prison Birth Project do?

Several herbs used safely used by women for generations are an excellent source for the increased vitamins and minerals needed during pregnancy, and to prepare your the uterus for labor.

These herbs can easily be made into teas and incorporated into meals on a regular basis. Every person is different, and your body may react differently now to foods than it did previously, but used wisely and in moderation, these herbs make wonderful teas and foods.

• Raspberry leaf is best known for strengthening the uterine muscles so they work more efficiently during labor. Drink raspberry leaf tea, with its easily assimilated content of calcium and magnesium, to relieve leg cramps. Also high in iron, the leaves and berries help prevent anemia. Raspberry leaf soothes an upset stomach and will help alleviate mild morning sickness. Taken after birth, it slows bleeding, helps the uterus regain tone, and increases breast milk production.

• Nettle leaves are a storehouse of nutrition, with high iron and calcium contents, as well as an excellent source of folic acid, an essential nutrient during pregnancy. Nettle strengthens the kidneys and adrenals, while it relieves fluid retention. Because nettle also supports the vascular system, it can prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Postpartum, it increases breast milk production. Nettle tea has a rich, green taste and can be mixed with other herbs. Cooked nettle is a mineral-rich substitute for spinach and an excellent side dish with a dash of lemon juice and sesame seeds. Try substituting nettle in lasagna. Pick it fresh from spring until mid summer, but be sure to wear gloves to protect your skin. Its nickname is “stinging nettle,” but this sting disappears when cooked. Pick extra to freeze and have on hand for the winter months.

• Oats, another herb high in calcium and magnesium, builds healthy bones and nourishes the nervous system. This is the perfect herb to relieve nervous exhaustion and allow for relaxed rest when sleep is difficult. An easy way to incorporate the healing power of oats, and its high fiber content, is to eat oatmeal cereal in the morning, along with oatmeal bread. Oatstraw tea has a mild flavor that can be used alone or mixed with other herbs. And a warm oatmeal bath is not only relaxing, it softens skin and relieves the itch of a growing belly.

• Dandelion root tea increases digestion and promotes bile to relieve constipation. It is one of the best herbs for cleansing and strengthening the liver, our main detoxifying organ. The liver breaks down hormones no longer needed by the body after birth, and any drugs that may have been given at birth. Containing calcium and iron, roasted dandelion root’s coffee-like flavor, is an excellent morning beverage. Add a handful of the fresh leaves, high in vitamin A, to other greens in salads. Drink dandelion leaf tea if a diuretic is needed to relieve fluid retention. Because of its high potassium content, it does not deplete the body of this important mineral, as other diuretics are known to do.

• Alfalfa, with its deep root system, contains many essential nutrients including trace minerals, chlorophyll and vitamin K, a nutrient necessary for blood clotting. Many midwives advise drinking mild tasting alfalfa tea or taking alfalfa tablets during the last trimester of pregnancy to decrease postpartum bleeding or chance of hemorrhaging. Alfalfa also increases breast milk production – alfalfa hay is fed daily to milking goats and other dairy animals!

These common herbs are available in most natural health food stores and are well-worth using for their nutritionally-packed support during these special months.

This information is provided for educational, and not medical, purposes.  Consult your health care provider for advice tailored to your needs.

But did you know that what you put on your skin holds the same potential?  And when it comes to the delicate skin of your baby, it’s even more important to use only those products that are gentle and nurturing.  Unfortunately, many popular body care products contain chemicals of concern.

We can’t rely on regulation to protect us from potentially dangerous chemicals in our body care products.  The FDA has banned just nine chemicals from cosmetics, while the European Union has banned more than 1,000.

Shopping “natural” or “organic” is no guarantee that your products are free of dangerous chemicals.  A product that is labeled as being “natural” may be mixed up with synthetic dyes or fragrances.  Buying higher cost products is no guarantee either – many are full of the same ingredients and harsh chemicals as the less expensive brands.

So, what can you do to make sure you’re buying products that are safe and pure?  Shop for products that don’t contain the chemicals listed below, in either their ingredients or their packaging.  You’ll find a detailed explanation of the risks they pose on our website.

• Ceteareth-6
• Coal Tar
• Diethanolamine (DEA) or Triethanolamine (TEA)
• Imidazolidinyl Urea and Diazolidinyl Urea
• Mineral Oil
• Parabens — Methyl, Propyl, Butyl, and Ethyl
• Petrolatum
• Phthalates
• Propylene Glycol
• PVP/VA Copolymer
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Stearalkonium Chloride
• Synthetic colors
• Synthetic fragrances

Want to find products that don’t contain these ingredients?  Use the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database to search for safe products.

At Motherlove we’ve been committed to making safe, toxin-free, herbal products made with organic ingredients for mothers and babies for over 20 years.  We were recently named a “Champion” (the highest level of compliance) of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.  Our products are all rated a zero (the lowest rating) the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, and we are proud to publish our complete ingredient lists.  Motherlove uses safe, recyclable packaging for our products, and they are free of “shelf life” preservatives and any artificial ingredients.  You expect that from “real food.” You should expect that from your body care, as well.

We’re very happy to share an interview with massage therapist and trainer Lisa Gallauresi, LMT on partner massage for pregnancy and labor.

Lisa is a massage therapist, parent educator and trainer.  She has been an instructor at massage schools, developed curricula for hospitals and training centers, and consulted on prenatal bodywork for large spas including Kripalu Yoga Center.  Her training includes newborn and infant massage, and she is a certified prenatal specialist.  

If after reading Lisa’s answers you’re sold on the benefits of partner massage for pregnancy and labor, check out Motherlove’s Birth and Baby Oil!  It’s gentle enough for both mothers and babies, and has a zero toxin rating.

What are some benefits of having a partner massage a mom during pregnancy and labor?

The benefits of partner massage during pregnancy and labor can be physically and psychologically profound for the mother and her partner.  When I teach a partner massage class I provide general tools for relaxation and bonding.  We address the most common discomforts of pregnancy and create an environment that facilitates spoken and unspoken physical communication.  If a person has specific structural issues or preexisting conditions they need to see a qualified massage therapist or physical therapist.

We know that the positive effects of massage in general are greater if administered by her partner.  This is in part due to the emotional connection and support that is inherent in the massage.  Women experience a decrease in the level of stress hormones, deeper and longer sleep patterns, reduced soreness and pain in muscles and joints, decreased anxiety and less postpartum depression.  Partners feel empowered to provide hands on comfort as well as emotional support.  Familial adjustments are easier and self-confidence in parenting skills are buoyed.  Laboring women feel more  attachment with partners and therefore react with more self-assurance and a heightened belief in their ability to cope.  The perception of labor outcomes are more positive for both parents when massage is administered.

What are typically moms’ favorite areas to be massaged during pregnancy and labor?

During a typical pregnancy, most women enjoy massage to the low back, shoulders and between the shoulder blades, although you can never go wrong with a nice foot massage! During labor, the intention of the massage shifts.  In early labor women may enjoy massage around the jaw and the scalp, lots of kisses and encouraging words.  As she shifts into a deeper labor space to prepare for the second stage, she usually does not like light touch.  Massage includes deep and sustained pressure to the sacrum and low back with limited talking and focused awareness.

Can you describe some easy massage techniques for pregnancy and another one for labor?

Partner massage tools for pregnancy are more about intention than technique.  Loving, focused, hands on time with little or no distraction is a way to connect and be present with each other.  Creating space to mentally and spiritually witness each other as partners in a journey creates a strong family foundation to build upon.  You do not need special tables or tools to do this massage.  Mom can sit on a stool, chair or birth ball that is facing a table, counter or bed at the correct height.  She can lean forward with several pillows in front and lean forward.  She may need a bunch of pillows to get comfortable.  It is best if the table is against a wall so it remains stable.

The partner can take a quarter sized amount of lotion or oil and stand behind her in an open and relaxed stance, feet in a lunge position bending at the knees.  Starting slowly and lightly at the nape of the neck he/she can create a diamond shape with open and relaxed hands by going out along the shoulders and down to the mid back where the bra line would be.  Warming up the tissue and gradually getting deeper they can “pick up” the tissue at the top of the shoulders and knead it until it softens like dough.  Let mom tell you what feels good and follow her directive.  Learning what relaxes her is useful information for labor.

During labor, if mom wants to be touched, deep sustained pressure to the sacrum and top of the buttocks is welcomed.  A tennis ball is a useful massage tool for long hours of labor massage.  Rub the ball along the low back and use it to provide counter pressure in the sacral area.  The hands and feet can be reached easily in most labor situations and it feels nice to have a firm foot or hand massage.

Are there some areas to stay away from during pregnancy and labor?

Every pregnancy is unique, so parents need to talk to their health care provider for any contraindications to massage.  A licensed massage therapist that specializes in prenatal work can offer private tutorials with specific guidelines that consider adaptations for each couple.  In partner massage we do not do leg work because it is specialized.  Women should not lie flat on their backs after 13 weeks and should not receive massage while lying on their stomachs.   The general rule of thumb in a typical pregnancy is that if it feels good, go for it!

Partner massage is a hands on tool that allows couples the opportunity to bond and communicate.  Pregnancy and labor is perceived more positively if mom feels supported and cared for.  Many partners want concrete tools to show support and therefore feel as if they are participating in the process.  Learning to listen and support a new mother is a skill that I hope will translate into the postpartum period and provide a strong family foundation for years to come!

This raises many questions for moms:  Is it safe to take an antidepressant during breastfeeding?  How much of the medications transfer to your baby, and are there any long term effects of using them during breastfeeding?  What are the effects of untreated maternal depression on babies?  What are the consequences of weaning to take a medication?  And what non-pharmacological methods of treating depression are effective?

In this podcast interview with Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, world-renowned expert on postpartum depression and breastfeeding, Tanya Lieberman, IBCLC posed these questions and more.  Dr. Kendall-Tackett is the author of 22 books on maternal depression, family violence, and breastfeeding, including

Depression in New Mothers: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment Alternatives
Depression in New Mothers
Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers
Breastfeeding Made Simple

She shared her wealth of knowledge about this topic in practical, breastfeeding-friendly terms.  Dr. Kendall Tackett shares more information about this topic on her website.

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

*This podcast is intended for educational purposes, and does not constitute medical advice.  Please consult your health care provider for care appropriate to your situation.

Welcome to the Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Chat

What are the risks of breastfeeding while pregnant? Can it cause a miscarriage?

What to think about before getting pregnant. Did you plan to get pregnant while breastfeeding? What happened to your milk supply?

Milk supply and pregnancy. What’s safe to take to boost supply? Why does supply drop for some moms?

Will I still get colostrum? Does my milk taste differently during pregnancy? Can breastfeeding cause me to go into labor? (and lots of other questions)

Be aware that since these threads are old, if you post a question, you should start a new thread on The Leaky B@@b to make sure the moms see your questions.

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.

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.

What is a Baby Friendly Hospital?

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a program sponsored by the World Health Organization and UNICEF to encourage and recognize hospitals that provide evidence-based breastfeeding care.

A Baby Friendly Hospital is one which has been certified as fully complying with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.  To become Baby Friendly, hospitals undergo a lengthy certification process and an independent evaluation to determine that they have met all of the Baby Friendly criteria.

What are the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding?

To become Baby Friendly, hospitals must demonstrate that they comply with the following evidence-based policies:

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth.
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
7. Practice rooming-in – that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together – 24 hours a day.
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers to breastfeeding infants.
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic

What difference does it make if I birth at a Baby Friendly Hospital or somewhere else?

Research has repeatedly shown that mothers who birth at Baby Friendly hospitals are more likely to breastfeed, breastfeed longer, and breastfeed more exclusively. That’s because the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are based on research showing which policies support – and which undermine – breastfeeding.  So, while it’s certainly possible to breastfeed successfully if you don’t birth at a Baby Friendly Hospital, you will probably encounter far fewer barriers to meeting your breastfeeding goals if you birth at one.

How can I find a Baby Friendly Hospital near me?

As of December, 2011, there were 125 Baby Friendly Hospitals in the U.S.  You can find a complete list of them here.

Many hospitals are in the process of becoming Baby Friendly, and the Centers for Disease Control recently announced that they’ll be supporting the certification of many more.  Kaiser Permanente also recently announced an initiative to make many of their hospitals Baby Friendly.

What can I do if I don’t live near a Baby Friendly Hospital, or my insurance limits my options?

Sadly, many mothers don’t live near a Baby Friendly hospital.  The CDC estimates that only 5% of all births occurs at a Baby Friendly Hospital today.  And the unfortunate truth is that most hospitals don’t meet the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.  In 2009, for example, only one in three hospitals reported to the CDC that they practicing rooming in (Step 7).

This is changing, but if you’re pregnant now you can’t exactly wait!  So what can you do if you can’t birth at a Baby Friendly Hospital but want the best breastfeeding care you can get?

1. You can write a breastfeeding-friendly birth plan, based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, and discuss with your providers your wishes for a birth and newborn period that supports your intention to breastfeed.  If you’re planning to birth at home, you can discuss these same issues with your providers.
2. You can request your area hospitals’ mPINC scores.  One relatively unknown fact is that all hospitals report their compliance with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding to the CDC.  The CDC compiles this information and gives each hospital a score, known as the mPINC score.  Hospitals do not have to disclose their performance to the public, but mothers are free to request it from their local hospitals if they wish.  This information, if you can get it, could be useful in evaluating how breastfeeding-friendly your birth options are.
3. And if you’re feeling ambitious, you can launch a community campaign, as these mothers did, to push your local hospitals to become Baby Friendly!

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!

Video example of TV Birth

Cold compresses.  Many moms use ice packs to reduce swelling and soothe pain in the early hours after birth.  Be sure to wrap cold packs in a soft cloth or other soft material so that the cold pack doesn’t directly touch your tissues. Some moms wet and freeze their pads to create convenient cold compresses.

Sitz baths.  Warm water, especially when infused with healing herbs, can do wonders for tender tissues.  You can make a sitz bath in a bathtub or with a basin that fits over your toilet seat (in the hospital, ask your nurse for help with this).  Added to your bath, our Sitz Bath and Sitz Bath Concentrate soothe sore perineal muscles, reduce swelling, slow bleeding, and help ease the discomfort of hemorrhoids.  Our Sitz Bath Spray can be sprayed directly on your perineum an offers the same relief.  All of our sitz bath products have a zero rating (zero toxins) on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database and are made with 100% certified organic ingredients.

Witch hazel.  Witch hazel is an herb which is soothing to sore, swollen tissue, and especially helpful with hemorrhoids.  You can buy witch hazel soaked pads.  You’ll also find witch hazel in our organic Rhoid Balm, which relieves swelling and itching during pregnancy and after birth, and in our sitz bath products.

Peri bottle.  Many moms who have had tears, stitches, or episiotomies find it soothing to spray their perineum (front to back) with warm water after or during urination.  Peri bottles make this easy.  It can be especially helpful to use a peri bottle while urinating if you have stinging pain when using the toilet.

Medications.  Your health care providers can discuss over the counter and prescription medication options that are safe for breastfeeding.  If you have additional questions about pain medications and breastfeeding, you can call the Infant Risk Center for free information from a knowledgeable and breastfeeding-friendly pharmacist.

* This post is not intended as medical advice.  For medical advice, seek the recommendations of your health care provider.

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.

We’ve been hearing about it, and while we know it’s not for everyone, thought it would be interesting to learn more.  So we asked  Jodi Selander, founder of Placenta Benefits to answer some questions.

Jodi trains and certifies specialists who encapsulate placentas for consumption, based on a method she developed.  She is active in research on the placentophagy (placenta consumption) research team at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and has presented her findings at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association.  Jodi has also written and published several articles on the use of placenta for postpartum recovery.

The placenta can be prepared in many different ways. I subscribe to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine – placenta have been used for centuries in this manner, and I didn’t feel like I should mess with their system, since it is one of their most powerful medicines when prepared that way. This way also gives the capsules longevity; they can be frozen and kept for a long time, and definitely taken over the first several weeks postpartum, the time when many women struggle with the Baby Blues. However, some women just cut pieces out to put in smoothies or freeze; this does decrease the time in which it can be taken to the first 3 days after birth, to the first week or so. It can also be used as any other meat in a food dish – placenta spaghetti and the like. I’m just happy when a mother chooses to utilize the placenta, instead of throwing it in the trash! But the easiest way for me to take the placenta was in a capsule.

PBi-trained and Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialists are schooled in the Traditional Chinese Medicine method of preparation, which involves steaming the placenta prior to dehydration, eliminating any concerns over bacteria living on the placenta and being transferred to the capsules. Additionally, in TCM, cooked foods work differently in the body than raw foods, and placenta is meant to have warming properties (i.e., cooked).

There are so many wonderful traditions of honoring the placenta! In some cultures, the placenta is considered the spiritual twin of the baby, and is treated as such. Most cultural traditions involve burial or some sort of honorary memorial for it. I have written several articles on this topic – you can read one here.

That is the belief, but we have been unable to find it in written records. One of my research colleagues at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) performed a comprehensive survey of the anthropological literature related to cultural beliefs, rituals, and the placenta, and was unable to find any cultural-wide practices of human maternal placentophagy (where the mother consumes the placenta). Another researcher at UNLV has come up with an interesting theory as to why humans may have stopped eating placenta, and his paper will be published next year. So there is a lot of recent interest in this topic. Now, placenta have been used for centuries for a variety of treatments, but these are often related to male issues, interestingly enough; vitality, fertility, and the like. It has also been used in other cultures as a remedy for the baby or father. But it seems that women were giving up the placenta for use by others, not for herself. So the practice of mothers consuming it for postpartum is a recent phenomenon – we started seeing references to it in the 1970′s.

I have trained many wonderful women in the art of placenta encapsulation through the Placenta Benefits Placenta Encapsulation Training Course. These Placenta Encapsulation Specialists reside all across the United States and Canada, and we also have Specialists in the UK, South Korea, and Australia. You can find one in your area here.

If she births in a hospital, the first step is to ask to take it home! The more that hospitals get this request, the more likely they are to adapt mother- and placenta-friendly policies. Many couples bury the placenta and plant a special tree or shrub over it. If you don’t live in an area that would accommodate that, the placenta can still be lovingly prepared and dried (even in an oven). Then it can be ground, and the granules can be scattered in an area that is special and sacred to you.

Music to give you an extra “push:”

• Five Finger Death Punch
• Aerosmith (“The nurses said it sounded like I was having a party in my room.”)
• Faith of the Heart (theme from Star Trek: Enterprise)
• Credence Clearwater Revival
• Steppenwolf
• U2
• Goo Goo Dolls
• Country music
• Salt n’ Pepa (Push It!)
• Bob Marley
• Phish
• The Police
• Umphrey’s McGee
• Band of Horses
• Fleet foxes
• Damien Marley
• Jason Mraz
• And a number of you said “80′s music” (“Baby was born to Don’t Stop Believing and Jump!“)

Calming music:

• Mozart
• Vivaldi
• Ocean sounds
• Hawaiian-style instrumentals
• What a Wonderful World/Somewhere Over The Rainbow
• Classical guitar
• Tchaikovsky
• Meditation music/nature sounds
• Pandora “Michael Hedges” music channel, and “Ludovico Einaudi” music channel
• The Reiki Hands of Light CD
• Praise Baby CDs
• Opera

Some of you provided your own accompaniment!

• “Only the music of my own voice.  I ‘Ommed’ through the whole 7 hours. My husband tells me ‘You can hold a note.’”
• “Nothing except the music of me hollerin!!”
• “I loved listening to my baby’s heartbeat. It calmed me down.”

And then some of you said you didn’t want music (“I liked it quiet”), or had no time for it (“I almost had him in the car!”).

Mothering the Mother is a Milwaukee non-profit organization that believes that all women should have access to quality birth professionals, regardless of their situation.  They offer a variety of classes, doulas, lactation support, and mentors.  All services are based upon on a sliding scale depending on the individual family’s circumstances.

Birth Behind Bars is a Florida non-profit organization which assists pregnant inmates by providing childbirth classes, doula support, breastfeeding support, and parenting education.  Their website quotes an officer in the jail system:  “The inmate broke the law and has to serve out their sentence.  The baby did not break any laws and deserves to have the right start in life.”

The Delaware Breastfeeding Bag Project‘s goal is to get truly breastfeeding-friendly bags into the hands of every new mother who gives birth in Delaware.  Mothers are often given ”breastfeeding bags” supplied by formula companies at the hospital or in doctors’ offices.  These bags have been shown by multiple studies to reduce breastfeeding rates.  The Delaware Breastfeeding Bag Project donates about 600 bags a year to new moms.

Shower of Hope, Oklahoma was founded by Toni Keltner to provide support to a family who lost two children in the May 24, 2011 Oklahoma tornadoes.  Shower of Hope has since grown to provide support to other families in need after the tornadoes and other natural disasters.

Holistic Moms Network connects parents who are interested in holistic health and green living.  Their online community and local chapters “encourage moms to trust their instincts, parent from the heart, use their innate sense of what is best for their children, live in balance with the Earth, and learn about the pros and cons of all healthcare and parenting options.”

Union Gospel Mission of Salem‘s mission is to help men and women break the cycle of homelessness and become participating members of the community.  They provide meals and shelter, recovery programs, education and job readiness support, and affordable housing help.

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).

But the list of reasons to wait until at least 39 weeks of a healthy pregnancy to have your baby is long and powerful, too.

In recent years the trend toward earlier scheduled inductions and cesarean sections has resulted in the average pregnancy getting shorter.  Some facts from the  California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative:

• There are now more babies born at 39 weeks than at full term.
• The average time a fetus spends in the womb has fallen seven days since 1992.
• Between 1990 and 2006, the number of babies born at 36 weeks increased by about 30 percent, and babies born at 37 and 38 weeks rose more than 40 percent.
• In 2007, 9.6 percent of births were early – through scheduled inductions or C-sections – for non-medical reasons.
• Deliveries at 37 and 38 weeks account for about 17.5 percent of total births in the United States.

Having a baby early for no medical reason (known as an early elective birth), can pose a number of risks to your baby, including:

• Increased NICU admissions
• Increased respiratory distress syndrome
• Increased ventilator support
• Increased suspected or proven sepsis
• Increased newborn feeding problems [breastfeeding] and other transition issues

In response to this troubling trend, the March of Dimes has launched a campaign to reduce births before 39 weeks called Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait™.   And recently, hospitals have started instituting a policy of no elective births before 39 weeks.  This summer, all 17  Portland, Oregon area hospitals instituted policy banning non-medically necessary births before 39 weeks.

Some of this increase is driven by mothers’ preferences, but there is little question that some of the trend is a result of pressure from health care providers.  Choosing your OB or midwife carefully can help you avoid an early elective birth.  But if you find yourself being pressured into an early birth for no medical reason, the March of Dimes recommends asking:

• Is there a problem with my health or the health of my baby that may make me need to have my baby early?
• Can I wait to have my baby until I’m closer to 39 weeks?
• Why do you need to induce labor?
• How will you induce labor?
• Will inducing labor increase the chance that I’ll need to have a c-section?

We would also recommend sharing this Toolkit, aimed at helping providers reduce early elective births, from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative.   Finally, while mothers are sometimes reluctant to do it, it’s also often possible to change providers, even late in pregnancy, in order to avoid an early elective birth.

It’s long been used as a cooking spice in East Indian and Asian cuisine and can be used externally to soothe wounds and sores. It can be gargled to relieve a sore throat and its seeds aid digestion.  It’s even approved as an appetite stimulant in Germany.

But it’s fenugreek’s status in the galactagogue world that puts it on center stage among breastfeeding herbs. (A galactogogue is a substance which increases milk supply.) Fenugreek is by far the most popular galactagogue, and can be taken as a liquid extract, dried powder capsule, or in tea form.

Note: Motherlove products all contain liquid extracts, or tinctures. Our vegetarian liquid capsules are popular with mothers who dislike the taste of the extract, but are the same liquid extract — just packaged differently for ease of use. Motherlove does not manufacture any dried herb capsules or teas.

Fenugreek’s smell and taste are so close to maple syrup that it’s used as flavoring in artificial maple syrup.  A few years ago, when New Yorkers reported periodic smells of maple syrup (they became known as “maple syrup events“) authorities identified the cause as a fenugreek processing plant!  Many mothers report that they smell like maple syrup when they use fenugreek to increase milk supply.

Fenugreek is an annual that grows 12-18″ high, and is a member of the legume family. It produces “pea pods” that contain yellow-brown seeds.

Fenugreek is an ingredient in a number of Motherlove products, including:  Fenugreek, More Milk Plus, More Milk Plus Alcohol Free, More Milk Plus Capsules, More Milk Special Blend, More Milk Special Blend Alcohol Free, More Milk Special Blend Capsules.  Please see each product page for suggested use.

Why Fenugreek:

Why is fenugreek such a popular galactagogue? Simply, because it’s safe and has such a long history of use without serious side effects. (See cautions and possible side effects below.) Its ability to increase milk supply is well established and it’s the number one recommended herb by lactation consultants. 

Before Using Fenugreek:

Consult a certified lactation consultant. There are many reasons why milk supply can suffer, and you may not have low supply at all. It’s common to worry about how much milk your baby is receiving and often everything is just fine. Also, low supply can be a complex issue and taking a supplement might mask the real problem, or not be effective without also altering your pumping schedule, correcting your baby’s latch or diagnosing another medical condition, such as PCOS. If you’re building a freezer stash so you can return to work, a lactation consultant can suggest the timing of introducing the bottle and getting a pumping routine established. We always recommend seeing a lactation consultant as the first step before taking any of our supplements.

Note: Always let your lactation consultant or healthcare professional know any medications that you may be taking, as any food has the potential to cause a reaction or interfere with medications.

Safety:

Fenugreek has been used for generations all over the world without any documented deaths. Fenugreek is widely used as an ingredient in spice blends and artificial maple syrup. It is a basic ingredient of curry powder and five spice mixtures and is also popular in salads. Fenugreek is on the FDA’s GRAS list (Generally Recognized as Safe).

Note: More Milk Plus is the number one recommended supplement to increase breast milk. More Milk Plus is carried in over 100 hospitals on the birthing floors where women get advice and support from lactation consultants on staff.

Possible Side Effects & Cautions:

Dosage:  Mothers who are fearful about producing enough milk have been known to take large quantities of fenugreek, which increases the risk of side effects. Dried herbal supplements can vary in their potency (which is normal — not all plants grown in the same garden are identical) and different brands recommend different dosages.

Note: Motherlove’s recommended dosage of our products is specific to breastfeeding. Fenugreek purchased as a general supplement may have other suggested dosages. Always follow the label’s dosage recommendations and talk to your lactation consultant about breastfeeding-specific dosages.

Contrary to much of what is recommended on the internet, taking enough fenugreek to smell like maple syrup is not always necessary. You might find an effective dose without the odor. Use caution and consult your healthcare professional before taking large doses of any herbs or supplements.

Also consider the dose that is effective for you. If you are taking a large dose and not seeing results in two to three days, ask your lactation consultant for advice. You might have low milk supply caused by a condition that does not respond to fenugreek. Common sense and professional advice can not only limit potential side effects but also save you valuable time and frustration, and get your breastfeeding relationship on track much quicker.

Note: Motherlove supplements are herbal extracts (not dried herbs) and are carefully blended for maximum effectiveness. It is possible to take a more moderate dose of these products because of their potency as compared to dried herbs and diluted dried herbs (teas). Always follow label instructions and do not take more than the recommended dose.

GI Upset:  Fenugreek is known to cause diarrhea and/or intestinal upset in a small number of people. The odds of this reaction can be minimized by taking the most moderate dose that works for you.  Dried herbs can also cause stomach upset because of the amount of fiber they are adding to your diet. If you are taking fenugreek along with other supplements, be aware of this potential side effect.

Dried fenugreek can inhibit the absorption of other medications because of the mucilage it produces. Fenugreek, when added to water, produces a thick-slimy substance that can coat the inside of your stomach and interfere with absorption. Liquid extract/tincture does not have this side effect, and it is absorbed much more quickly than powdered herbs.

It’s helpful to take a blend of herbs instead of fenugreek alone. A blended formula addresses several reasons milk supply may be low, and generally, it has less possibility for side effects than a single herb. Motherlove products are formulated with checks and balances — for example, fenugreek can cause diarrhea, but blessed thistle is anti-diarrheal.

Note: Motherlove has more formulas to increase breast milk than any other company. These include a fenugreek and alcohol-free galactagogue for use during pregnancy, More Milk Two, and fenugreek-free More Milk.

Allergies: Fenugreek is a legume as are beans, peas, chickpeas, peanuts and soy.  If you have a severe peanut allergy you should avoid fenugreek and other foods that contain it, such as those listed above. Studies have shown that people allergic to peanuts are not necessarily allergic to fenugreek, and there are people that have shown an allergy to fenugreek, but not peanuts.

Hypoglycemia: Clinical trials have shown that fenugreek lowers blood sugar, and it is used to control blood sugar by diabetics. If you are diabetic, talk to your healthcare professional before using fenugreek.

Pregnancy/Smooth Muscle Stimulation: One theory about why fenugreek works to stimulate breast milk production is its action on smooth muscles. (Breast tissue is a smooth muscle.) The uterus is also a smooth muscle making fenugreek unsafe during pregnancy. Do not take fenugreek while pregnant or while you can become pregnant.

Other Contraindications: Fenugreek contains coumarin, and animal studies have shown fenugreek to increase the effects of warfarin. Do not use fenugreek if you have been prescribed blood thinners. Fenugreek may lower the thyroid hormone T3 (also based on animal studies only), so fenugreek is not recommended for women with hypothyroid. Fenugreek has been said in some internet forums to have an effect on blood pressure/medications but we are unable to find any credible studies or links to fenugreek’s effect on either high or low blood pressure. However, as cautioned above, you should consult your lactation consultant and other healthcare professionals before taking any supplements or medications.

About Motherlove herbs:

Before being accepted for use in any Motherlove supplement, each ingredient undergoes quality testing. Then, the finished product is tested for bacteria, yeast, mold, E. coli, Staphylococcus, salmonella and heavy metals by a third-party lab.

Manufacturing and packaging of Motherlove supplements is done in a GMP certified and FDA registered facility, and all herbs used in the products are USDA certified organic.

Motherlove products do not contain dairy, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat or gluten. Our capsules contain non-GMO soy lecithin.

References:
The German Commission E
The Botanical Safety Handbook
Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions
Medication & Mother’s Milk
The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety
The Nursing Mother’s Herbal
Herbal Medicines, A Guide for Health-Care Professionals
The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk
The Nursing Mother’s Companion
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Birth is a play based on over 100 interviews conducted by Karen Brody about their birth experiences.  Eight birth stories are told in the play, with the intent of showing how low-risk, educated mothers are giving birth in the U.S. today.  Birth is also intended to raise awareness and provide a springboard for advocacy to make maternity care mother-friendly.  This advocacy effort is called BOLD (Birth on Labor Day).

Birth is now celebrating its fifth year, and to celebrate, BOLD is broadcasting a free webcast of a reading of Birth during Labor Day week.  The first broadcast will be live on September 5th at 7 pm ET, and this performance will be rebroadcast several times a day on September 17th and 24th.  More information about the webcast is here.

Birth has been called “magnificent, funny, and wonderfully wise” by Dr. Christiane Northrup.  We hope that you enjoy it!

Having a doula (a trained support person for birth and the postpartum period) present during your labor and birth can make it a much more comfortable experience.  Doulas have long been associated with shorter labors, less interventions, fewer c-sections, and more positive birthing experiences.  They’re also great for breastfeeding support.

We asked Ananda Lowe, doula and co-author of The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Should Know, to share some comfort measures for labor, as well as some tips for finding a low-cost or free doula if you can’t afford to hire one.

What are some comfort measures that any mom can use in labor, whether or not she has a doula?

Studies show the most effective form of natural pain relief is to take a warm bath, and the rate of epidural use goes down when baths are used.  Stay in a long time, up to 90 minutes for the best effect.  Warm water provides relaxation by stimulating the skin on your entire body (like a water “massage”), increasing blood circulation, and reducing blood pressure and muscle tension.  A shower can provide similar effects.  However, only 10 percent of women report they used warm water in labor.  At one of our hospitals in Boston, there are no showers in the birthing rooms, so you have to walk down the hall to a shower room.  I remember standing in the hall while my client was showering, and another woman in labor walked by.  I told her there were two showers and she could use one.  She said, “No thanks, I don’t need a shower.”  I realized afterward that she thought I meant she could take a shower to get clean, but she had no idea it was a type of pain relief.

When a woman is having her first baby, I tell her to expect to be in labor overnight.  She might not experience it, but most likely labor will be long enough that she will.  Sleep is very important so she will have enough stamina to finish labor.  Believe it or not, a doula might inform a mother that a glass of wine is known to be a tocolytic, or labor-inhibiting agent.  It usually slows down labor for the few hours it takes to by metabolized by the body.  A woman can sleep a bit, and she will wake up in labor again.  (Doctors formerly gave alcohol to women by IV injection to stop premature labors.)  A mother can ask her doctor or midwife about the option of drinking a glass of wine at home.  Alternately, taking a warm bath for more than 90 minutes can have the same effect, due to the way the brain responds after a long period of immersion of the body.  Doulas believe that sleeping in labor is possible, and a very good idea!

Most doulas-in-training offer a reduced fee until they are certified.  A trainee has enough education in birth to be a valuable presence at a woman’s labor.  Contact the national doula organizations to find a trainee or an experienced doula, at www.cappa.net, www.dona.org, www.ictcmidwives.org, and www.tolabor.com.  Otherwise, ask a friend who had a positive birth experience or a natural childbirth to be at your birth.  Our culture thinks of birth as a private event between a woman and her mate, but hospitals are full of staff who are strangers.  In past eras, it was a woman’s experienced female friends who guided her through birth.  I strongly encourage women to bring a friend or two to their labor.  Birth is such an intense experience, and hospital procedures can seem so overwhelming, that it is probably asking too much of a pregnant woman and her mate to get through labor alone.

Our nipple cream can be used for many other purposes.  It’s safe and effective for many uses.  You can use it to:

• Pass on to a pregnant friend (or buy her a new jar!)

• Moisturize lips (all ingredients are safe for ingestion)

• Moisturize dry skin on elbows, knees and heels

• Heal minor cuts, scrapes, and burns

• Soothe insect bites or sunburn

• Soothe inflamed stretch marks (or try our Pregnant Belly Salve or Pregnant Belly Oil)

• Rub into dry cuticles or chapped skin

• Treat eczema (or try our Green Salve)

• Smooth down a bit of unruly hair

• Use on diaper rash (or try our Diaper Rash and Thrush Salve)

• If you use a nipple shield, put a little a little under the outside edges to hold it in place

• Put it on chapped nose and cheeks during the winter time cold season.

• And finally, Silencia at Motherlove says “I also have a lot of friends who use it to help heal tattoos.”

And please remember that our glass jars are fully recyclable and reusable. Use our jars to hold jewelry, a votive candle, or even your own homemade lip balm.

A blessingway may be just what you’re looking for.

We have some special blessingway photos to share with you from Motherlove founder and owner Kathryn Higgins!  She had her own blessingway and participated in other moms’ ceremonies.  Her wonderful photos are below.

Kathryn says:

“I believe that a blessingway is the best ‘baby shower’ you can give a mother.  I had blessingways for many of my friends when we lived up in the canyon.  There was a beautiful ceremonial spot in an upper meadow surrounded by rock outcroppings and wildflowers.  We had a perfect place for a throne.  We would gather around our friend and brush her hair with scented oil, adorn her head with a crown of flowers, and wash her feet with an herbal bath.  Our gifts were songs and poems, beads and prayers.  We laid our hands upon her belly, sending blessings and our love.”

To explain what a blessingway is and to hold one, we asked Barb Lucke, co-author of Mother Rising: The Blessingway Journey into Motherhood to answer a few questions:

How is a blessingway different from a baby shower?

The blessingway views the transition into motherhood as a rite of passage and one to be held in sacred ceremony.  Many cultures still honor mothering in this way.  However, in the United States and many of the first world  countries, the concern is less on preparing the mother internally for her role as a mother and more externally with things.  Somehow in our culture we have come to value obtained things for our baby as adequate preparation and have ignored the work of internal preparation.  Women who are choosing to include blessingways as part of their journey into motherhood are saying yes to also preparing internally for the task ahead of birthing and mothering.  They are encouraged to ponder what it means for them to become a mother, or a mother of two or three, and to identify their wants and goals for themselves and what might be in the way of reaching them.  Most often what is in the way is a belief or fear.  The blessing way is designed to help the mother identify these road blocks to having the birth she envisions as well as the road blocks that might be the way of becoming the mother she hopes to be.  These road blocks are minimized or in some cases removed through sacred ceremony.  She is filled back up with affirmations, pampering and the support she needs to reach her goals.  Gifts given during a blessingway are more symbolic versus store bought.

Photo by Kathryn Higgins

Why do you think it’s important to have a ritual to mark the passage into motherhood?

I believe all women need to journey within to mentally prepare for childbirth and mothering by identifying and excavating fears, judgements, and beliefs.  This mental preparation is as difficult as all of the work that goes into preparing to give birth physically, by going to prenatal visits, eating right, exercising taking your vitamins, etc.  It is important and often overlooked.  Women wonder why their birth plans or ideals for how they want to parent go flying so easily out the window.  The work is challenging and warrants the time and energy a sacred ceremony promises as well as the support and from other women.  There is some sort of magic that happens when you combine sacred ceremony with women coming together collectively to honor, witness and support another woman on her journey into motherhood.  The combination works.  If you just get a room full of women together and lack the sacred ceremony you will be missing a key piece to the recipe.  And vice versa, if you sit alone in your home and create a beautiful sacred ceremony without the energy power, and support of other women, you will also not obtain the optimal results.

What are the major parts of a blessingway?

On page 25 of Mother Rising we map out elements recommended  in a blessingway or sacred ceremony and feel it is really best to start there.   I will also sum it up for you in my own words:

Photo by Kathryn Higgins