Support Breastfeeding, Anywhere, Anytime

Recently I have been giving a lot of thought to the show of support for breastfeeding. It occurs to me that doctors and hospitals openly advocate breastfeeding, as do support networks like the La Leche League, but I have never seen open support by any other group of people or organization. Breastfeeding is treated like something that is tolerated in our society, not encouraged by any organization outside of the health care profession. I know through my reading and studying of local legislation that I have the right to feed my child any where I have the right to be, but is the average mother armed with this information when she makes the decision on how to feed her baby?

Daily I am surprised at how many women of infants I see using bottles. If breastfeeding rates are going up, then women who breast-feed must be in the closet, because I never encounter them.

An Alternative to Breastfeeding

 There is agreement among healthcare professionals, infant food manufacturers and mothers that breastfeeding is the best choice for feeding infants during their first four to six months of life.

But, there are several reasons why a mother may not breastfeed her baby:

• • Medical or other health reasons may prevent a mother from breastfeeding.
• • Working outside the home makes it more difficult to breastfeed exclusively, especially if there is no support at her workplace for her to either bring her baby or to express and store her milk.

Tips on Breastfeeding

 Healthcare professionals, infant food manufacturers and mothers agree ... breastfeeding is the best choice for feeding infants during their first four to six months of life. It provides complete nutrition and helps to support the infant's immune system until it begins functioning on its own.

Breastfeeding is a natural process that enables each mother to nourish and nurture her baby. But breastfeeding is not always simple or easy. Learning the "whens" and the "hows" of breastfeeding will ensure a good start to a healthy relationship.

Six tips for breastfeeding success

If you're expecting, you've probably already heard how breastfeeding is the best way to nourish your baby for at least the first year of its life. No matter what formula companies claim, a mother's milk is unmatched as the most complete nutrition possible for your child.

Breastfeeding is somewhat of an art, however, and getting skilled in this art can sometimes be a challenge. So below I've compiled some tips, resources and a recommended reading list to help you through the rough spots right into breastfeeding bliss (because once you get the hang of it, it is a rather heavenly practice). I promise!

Breastfeeding and the Law

As more mothers breastfeed, they are more likely to run into legal problems that involve breastfeeding issues. Some of the types of breastfeeding legal cases are:

• Family Law — Custody and visitation (parenting time) decisions are made in family law cases, where the parents either are divorcing, or never married but are separated. These decisions can affect or jeopardize the breastfeeding relationship. In some cases, breastfeeding is raised directly as an issue, such as when one claims that breastfeeding is not best for the child, or that a child is being breastfed too long. In most, the effects of inappropriate separations can result in the breastfeeding relationship being put at risk.