Why would we improve birth?

Birth is birth. It's perfect; without need of improvement. Right? Yes, of course. But, the care mothers and babies are receiving, here in the U.S., with our outrageous healthcare costs, during this beautiful part of life that sets the foundation for humanity, is in much need of improvement. Women deserve evidence-based care.

The mission behind the Rally to Improve Birth is not about convincing women to abandon the system. It’s not about hospital birth or home birth. It’s about bringing evidence-based care and humanity to childbirth – wherever that takes place.

There are some folks who refuse to be affected by the system; those who live off the grid and do choose their own path. Not everyone will birth their children unassisted, with no one else present. I understand the frustration with the system but the system isn’t all that it’s about – it’s about awareness. It’s about bringing the concept of evidence-based care to the average mother; the mother who might not realize she shouldn’t hire a surgeon for her normal, healthy, low-risk pregnancy; the mother who doesn’t know that 40 weeks is a guestimate and it’s common to go past; the mother who is told she is “not allowed” to have a vaginal birth.

As a vbac mom I know the frustration with the new statutesin Arizona and while I don’t agree with the changes in the system, it is at the very least something that has happened here; while they are nowhere near ideal, it has brought attention to the issue. Will I hire an LM under those regulations? I don’t know. Will I use our local birth center? I don’t know. Will I plan for an unassisted birth? I don’t know. Will I travel to Phoenix again, or Flagstaff? I don’t know. But look at that – I have options.

Every woman, in every situation has options. But so many don’t realize it. The Rally to Improve Birth, as it grows each year, is bringing attention to these very issues; the issues of induction and vbac and EFM and autonomy. It’s not just about wanting evidence-based care to be provided by health care providers but also about women understanding that there is such a thing as evidence-based care and that it is lacking in the U.S.

The theme this year, #breakthesilence is raising awareness to the birth trauma that happens every single day here! Women are #improvingbirthbecause they may have not received evidence-based care and they want now want to advocate for humanity in childbirth!

While some have thrown their arms up in the air and proclaimed their mission to be #abandonthesystem –not all women are going to do that and for those that don’t ImprovingBirth.org is sparking the change in providers, hospitals and consumers, which could bring evidence-based care and humanity in childbirth to the women who choose to remain part of the system.

Thank you for those who have shown your support and stand with the Rally to Improve Birth, bringing your wisdom and information to our rally attendees! I hope you'll join us for the first annual 5k Fun Run!!

In love and service,

Jennifer Valencia, CD(DONA)

Rally Coordinator, Improvingbirth.org

It's Not About You {Don't Hate, Let's Educate}

Dear mother who had a cesarean,

It's not about you

Dear mother who had a natural birth,

It's not about you

It's not about you and it's not about me; it's bigger than us! It's not about your birth choices or mine, or anyone else's. We each make choices that are best for our own unique situations with the information that is given to us. The information that is given to us is what's so important.

The United State's ranks 60th in Maternal Mortality Rate while flaunting some of the worlds highest World Health Organization's recommended cesarean section rate of no higher than 10-15%, with an astounding rate of 32.8% that can vary greatly even among neighboring hospitals. ACOG has released guideline after guideline after guideline in effort to reduce the climbing cesarean rate and encourage vaginal birth [after cesarean (pg 6)]. What makes all of this a greater challenge, isn't the system, it isn't even the doctors who aren't following ACOG guidelines, it's society, perpetuating lies and fear throughout your community. There are obviously a variety of complex reasons for the high cesarean rate but each woman holds the responsibility to create positive change for our sisters, for our daughters and generations to come by speaking out with facts and encouragement for those around us. Too often I see women perpetuating the fears and the lies that many have come to believe; especially in regards to VBAC. I encourage you to take a class on VBAC and understand the real risks and benefits of a trial of labor vs a planned cesarean delivery. You deserve the facts and evidence based care. An informed decision is not one driven by fear; it is one made from statistics and access to all of the information.

Women deserve access to the safe and appropriate choice of VBAC and banning vaginal births is not in the best interest of babies and families.

Please, join us at this year's 3rd National Rally to Improve birth!!

Introducing the first year of the Improving Birth Fun Run!!

I was recently confronted by a mother who felt attacked by the statistics; a mother who had chosen a RCS for the birth of her second child. I do not know her whole story but she was adamant that vaginal birth was very dangerous! [Perhaps she hadn't know the facts and was second guessing her decision or perhaps she just didn't like that I had personally made a decision that differed from hers or perhaps she was emotionally burdened because she felt that she didn't have a choice.] I don't know, but whatever the reason, this is bigger than her, this is bigger than me, this is bigger than you.

As a doula, I support any birth - I've supported natural births and medicated births, I've supported inductions, I've supported a planned cesarean section and emergency c-sections. I am well aware of the need for facts and evidence based information, especially in the face of our alarmingly high cesarean rate and climbing maternal mortality rate. Women need to be empowered and spreading false information or being denied all the of the information is damaging to society as a whole. The system isn't going to change, women need to be the change.
There is no room for spreading fears and falsehoods.
Each woman is tasked with the responsibility of taking charge of her health; making safe and appropriate choices that are right for their individual circumstances.

Your choice doesn't have to be the same as mine or any one else's. What's important is that your choice is made from fact, not fear; aka making an informed decision.  I further encourage you to give the women surrounding you the same courtesy of informed choice by stopping the wild fire of misinformation and sharing facts.

Had a cesarean? Don't freak. Know the facts.
If you're local to Phoenix of Tucson Give Birth offers a VBAC Workshop
If you're local to Cottonwood, Prescott, Flagstaff or other surrounding areas, yours truly of Guiding Angels Birth Services also presents a VBAC Workshop for Northern AZ. And be sure to check out these helpful links!

Women Improving Birth {Don't Hate, Let's Educate}

Birth is in shambles. What are we doing about it? Not much, really. Well, it's time for change. For the longest time I've thought "if only the system would change" or "if only I could change the system" but it's not going to happen that way. WE have to change. Women have to be the change.

The question arises - why are women continuing to go to OB's who misrepresent themselves, who have no respect for women and their birth choices, who make promises they have no intention of keeping?

It's because women have no clue.

I didn't with my first birth - and its sad - I SHOULD have known more. I was raised by an OB nurse who was deeply skeptical of the system - never took me to Drs, distrusted pharma and healed us with herbs my entire upbringing.

And yet when I got pregnant I hired an OB right off the bat...because "thats what you do."

My big concern? That she was a woman. I figured she would be more sympathetic and really know what she was doing since she had kids of her own. I didn't do research, I didn't worry about anything because I DID believe birth was natural and would happen naturally, BUT I also, very paradoxically, had hired a surgeon to attend my birth.

Looking back it doesn't make a bit of sense, but at the time it did; because the idea of there being other options simply didn't exist to me yet. When I got high BP in the last few weeks I wasn't concerned - but I was induced - I didn't even KNOW thats what was happening until a nurse told me. I had a 36 hour labor and both Ian and myself almost died. And everyone said WOW its a good thing you were at the hospital with all those doctors!! They SAVED YOUR LIFE. And I believed that for a long time. It's hard to opt out of that mindset - and most women haven't yet.

We need to be careful not to blame other women - because in most cases they just don't know better - and even when you start to know better its HARD to break out. It takes baby steps sometimes - and some women will never make it there. We can't spend our time being angry at each other for not "getting it." Its time to focus all our attention on education and on changing the system - so when my daughters find themselves looking at a pink plus sign their first thought doesn't have to be "lets go hire a surgeon". Should they have that right? Sure. But they should also know that they can chose a midwife or just trust THEMSELVES to birth their child.

And maybe we can never change the "system" but we can change the story for ourselves, and our children and maybe those around us. My first birth isn't the story I want to give my son - but there isn't any going back. We can however go forward and when you know better - do better.

Guest blog post written by Crystal Billington of Aniron Photography.  

Want to learn more about Improving Birth? ← Click here!

Live in Northern AZ? Like Improving Birth, Northern AZ on facebook 

and contact Guiding Angels Birth Services to find out what you can do to inspire change!

Micro Birth {Understanding how the small things impact baby for life}

Birth is a complex life event and mother nature is a beast! More often than not, physiological birth is best left undisturbed. However, in the United States, especially if you're considering a hospital birth, intervention free is not always the norm.

How is this impacting our culture?

More importantly, how is this impacting our species?

This film, Micro Birth is "a feature-length documentary asking if interventions in childbirth could be damaging the long-term health of our children with consequences for all of humanity."

For those of you reading this, I'd like to emphasize three smaller interventions - routine procedures - that you may not even think of as having impact on the human microbiome.

1. Swaddle Blankets

These seemingly harmless cute bundles have their place in creating a comfortable, secure feeling for our new babies - making the world seem a little bit smaller - but don't let swaddling interfere with valuable skin to skin contact!

2. Eye Ointment

Bacteria are good!

When babies pass through the vaginal canal they are colonized with our own flora, the bacteria that will start them off for life. When erythromycin or silver nitrate, which is much less commonly used but still around, is put in their delicate eyes unnecessarily, all of that bacteria will be lost. As the linked article goes into detail about, if the mother is infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea, treatment is used to prevent infection. In all other cases, I encourage you to reconsider and look at the evidence surrounding this routine procedure. 

3. Newborn Bath

Remember how we talked about that beautiful flora baby is colonized with? You might not want to wash that away just yet. Let it soak in! And let the vernix soak in. Mother nature is pretty awesome - babies are born protected from bad bacteria by their vernix, which is also a natural moisturizer, and they are born colonized and prepared for life with good bacteria! Take time to slow down and enjoy this bonding time with your newborn and enjoy that natural newborn smell. 

Slow down on the Journey of Life and enjoy a Micro Birth Premier near you!

Weenie!

Today when I picked up my almost seven year old from school, I learned something about one of his friends. I learned that his friend is circumcised.

How did I learn this you ask? What are these boys doing during recess? Is this a hot topic in elementary school?

Let me explain....

More Than A Scar

       Crisis [krahy-sis]

Noun

1.       A stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined; turning point.

2.       A condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change.

3.       A dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person’s life.

I was 37 weeks pregnant, sitting on the white, crunchy paper of a doctor’s office table, when my obstetrician informed me that I was very tiny and the fetus I was carrying was measuring large; “we should just schedule a c-section” he said. Something in me knew that was not the appropriate response and I declined, requesting I be allowed to try and birth my child naturally. Reluctantly, this man I entrusted with my care agreed as long as I “progressed fast enough.”

I was 40 weeks pregnant, sitting on the white, crunchy paper of a doctor’s office table, when my obstetrician reminded me that I was very tiny and the fetus I was carrying was measuring large. At this point, I scheduled my induction. Little did I know, ACOG does not support induction or routine cesarean section for a suspected big baby.

I was 40+3 weeks pregnant in a hospital bed, receiving Cervadil. A few hours later it was apparent that either my child was ready for his birthday or the Cervadil was all I was going to need. It was around 2am, Feb 6, 2007 and my labor had begun. I slept through most of early labor and a nurse came in at 7am because “it was time” for the Pitocin drip to begin. I didn’t want it, I was beginning labor on my own but “I had to” have it. It was started and then quickly stopped due to decels in fetal heart tones. I labored naturally on my own, frequently interrupted by “required” vaginal exams to ensure I was “progressing fast enough.”

It was Feb 6, 2007 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, I was 7 centimeters dilated, my water had spontaneously ruptured about an hour ago, fetal heart tones were reading great, maternal blood pressure was spot on but twelve hours was long enough according to the obstetrician I had entrusted with my care. A cesarean section was ordered for “failure to progress” and approximately 1.5 hours later, my child was cut out of my body. I gave my child a kiss and we were separated, the rest of the operation details don’t matter much. He was 7lbs, 2oz, 20 in long and his head was 14 ¾ in diameter.  At my late ultrasounds, the doctor had estimated my baby to be around ten pounds but “Wow, what a big head. He wouldn’t have fit anyway,” was the explanation without apology from my obstetrician.

A mother seeking a TOLAC, (trial of labor after cesarean), in a rural town is very limited. At the hhosptal in my town an RCS, or routine cesarean section, is scheduled for mothers with prior cesareans. For my second birth I sought care from a group of midwives in the city and planned my birth place to be a hospital; not my first choice but one of the few options I had because of my prior cesarean. I was 37 weeks pregnant, moderately dissatisfied with my choice of care providers, sitting on the white, crunchy paper of a doctor’s office table. My midwife informed me my fetus was breech, I would “have to” have a cesarean. I found a new care provider. My crisis taught me that this is my body, my baby and my birth.

My crisis taught me that I shouldn’t trust another with my care; I had to be responsible for the decisions made. My crisis taught me to follow my heart. My crisis taught me that what one person says is not always correct. Little did I know how profound that statement was to become.

I was 41+6 weeks pregnant, it was a little after midnight and fear overwhelmed me; fear that if I didn’t “push fast enough” this opportunity, this right, and this birth, would be taken away from me. Three pushes later, my son was born, measuring in at 8lbs, 6oz, 19 in long with a head that was 14 ¾ in diameter. My prenatal challenges shaped who I was becoming as a mother but these numbers impacted the realization of my crisis on a deeply emotional level; realizing how much I had been lied to during my first pregnancy. The cut of my first birth may have been the actual event of a crisis but it was at this moment that it became such.  It was at this moment my life changed.

As the weeks unfolded I bonded with my VBAC baby like I have never done with my first child. It was during these moments I began to feel the emotional impact and realize my first birth experience was a crisis. It had always angered me, it had been a frustration during my second pregnancy but now, it hurt me. The cut of my cesarean cut more than just my body, it cut my soul.

-- Anonymous  

The cesarean rate in America is 32%. The World Health Organization recommends less than 15% to be appropriate.  With these numbers in mind, it's no surprise that so many mothers have suffered from birth trauma from a cesarean. If this is you, I encourage you to process your past birth experience(s). Find a local ICAN Chapter, take a birth after cesarean workshop, attend a group counseling session where you can share your experience(s), hopes and fears, and be showered with love, compassion and support. Some mothers may benefit from seeking a therapist trained in EMDR, (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). All mothers will likely benefit from a doula.

Not all mothers feel traumatized by their cesarean but most view it as a crisis that challenges them to this day. Use this challenge to support those around you; use it to improve birth. Because when you know better, you do better. Find evidence based information; know and understand your options and make informed decisions, encouraging those around you to do the same. 

If a mother feels empowered in her birth experience, no matter the type of birth it is, she is less likely to suffer emotionally. Birth shapes the type of mothers we become, the relationships we have with our partners, our children and those around us.  A cesarean affects a mother emotionally, physically and medically for the rest of her life.

Don't Hate, Let's Educate {Birth}

Stop the Mommy Wars is derived from the concept that the only choices we have control over are our own. What another mom chooses is her decision – who are we to judge that?  We are each free to make our own decisions and we should support another mother in her own decisions, creating a stronger community.  While I fully believe this is an excellent idea to stop the growing trend of pop culture pitting moms against each other, I also feel we have other battles placed in front of us that must be confronted. So should we fight one another, insisting that each person is in the right? No: Don't Hate, Let's Educate.

Birth

Your birth, your way. I firmly believe that and as a doula abide by that; I support whatever kind of birth my client chooses.  Here's the catch- I educate my clients. They are making informed choices.

The problem lies, once again, in our misinformed culture. Fear is rampant!  Less than half of all expectant mothers will have taken a childbirth preparation course by the time they give birth. A good majority of those who do take a course take one in a hospital setting. In a hospital course you learn how to be a good patient. You learn some basics about the stages of labor but not what you need to know; not evidence based birth. You'll learn what your [medical] pain management options are but most won't tell you all of the risks of an epidural or that a doula helps to relieve your pain naturally and is associated with a more positive birth experience. They'll tell you the process of admitting you to the hospital but not tips to keep your labor from stalling; they have pitocin for that. They don't work to undo the fear that has been bestowed upon us by our pop culture and the collective memory we've built from that culture.  It's easy and cost effective when birthing mothers can be put into the system, boxed up and released.

But we are each individual mothers with unique births, bodies and babies- we deserve to be treated as such. Don't Hate the system because it treated you unfairly, Let's Educate and spread the word that this is a human rights issue; autonomy of choice. This is what I'm talking about!

A cause that directly affects the health and well-being of millions of women around the world. That cause is human rights in childbirth.

You, mother who doesn't research and just does as your told in the birthing room, I judge you. I judge you and I apologize for that but if we are to take back birth then there is no room for mothers who don't care. We need all the support and advocacy we can get because birth matters.

So is this OB vs Midwife? Hospital vs home? Technology vs nature? No! We can all respect one another. I will respect your choice to birth in the hospital with an epidural if you respect my choice to birth at home without drugs. I respect yours because I've researched yours. Have you researched mine? I'm not asking if you believe it, I'm not asking you to achieve it. I'm simply asking you to be informed. Understand that home birth is a safe option for a healthy, low-risk mother. It's OK if it's not the choice for you, I don't judge you; I simply want you to know that pregnancy is not an illness. I want you to know the epidural is not free of risks. Do you know the benefits and joy of natural birth? Or are you overwhelmed by fear of the pain we have been programmed to expect in childbirth?

"So many North American women have experienced the pain of labor, and then had an epidural, that our collective memory about birth is now full of hurt but is missing the feelings of ecstasy and success that natural birth provides." -Cynthia Gabriel

Our culture has been programmed to fear birth. When birth moved out of the home and into the hospital it became a mystery. Little girls no longer see birth as a normal part of life but as an illness that needs medical care. Everywhere you turn you see complications and pain and no mother wants to be the only woman in the birth circle talking about her blissful or ecstatic birth. Are you getting your information from the media? Are your friends, coworkers and complete strangers bombarding you with horror stories? What would happen if you surrounded yourself with positive birth stories? Have you considered finding a birth circle? Do you have a doula or other caring support persons?



Midwives may provide an excellent source or childbirth education but if you're getting your information from an obstetrician, you must understand that they are trained surgeons; they are trained to manage complications in birth! Don't be ignorant when choosing your care provider. Do you know your care providers birth philosophy? This should be one of the first questions you ask when in search for a care provider. You shouldn't have to settle or compromise. [<--Trigger warning]

Why is it that we get pregnant and call the surgeon! 

The United States spends $98 billion annually on hospitalization for pregnancy and childbirth, but the US maternal mortality rate has doubled in the past 25 years. The U.S. ranks 50th in the world for maternal mortality, meaning 49 countries were better at keeping new mothers alive.

So what's different here than in those other countries? Do they have better technology than us? No. What's missing here, in the United States, is the midwifery model of care. Only 8% of mothers are seeking a midwife for their prenatal care and birth. When are we going to catch on? When are we going to realize that birth is a normal life event. Not only does birth matter, mothers matter! It's not enough to merely say "the baby's healthy, that's all that matters."

There's not near enough of a concern for the rising cesarean rate. Can a cesarean save lives? Yes. Are all  these cesareans we're having necessary- not even close. The WHO recommends a cesarean rate below 15%; anything above that and our outcomes are not improving alongside of the rise in this major abdominal surgery. We are at a national average of 32%.
 
Take charge of your birth. Know what interventions increase your likelihood of a cesarean.
It is NOT ok that we are using pitocin to elictively induce labor.

Daily Med Plus

Don't Hate, Let's Educate. Surely, a mother who knew the risks of induction to her baby and to herself would not choose this. But as a culture, we have made pitocin far too permissible in birth and ignored the dangers of it. Roberto Caldreyo-Barcia, MD said,

Pitocin is the most abused drug in the world today.

We are disregarding the importance of mother nature and creating detrimental affects.

Infographic courtesy of Plumtree Baby

Beyond all of this, it's more than just this moment, this birth; pitocin impacts so much more. Michele Odent, MD first began exploring the desensitization of oxytocin receptors.

Oxytocin is the hormone of love and bonding and human connection. If the oxytocin system is damaged, or a child’s oxytocin receptors become desensitized, the ramifications are huge. Click here to read more about how pitocin impacts can be life-long. 

A recent ACOG survey found that in 43% of malpractice suits involving neurologically impaired babies, Pitocin was to blame. Is this really a risk you want to take because you're uncomfortable towards the end of your pregnancy? Of course not! But mothers are not being told of the risks and so we are overly seeking convenience. This "convenience" is affecting us as a society. This is what I am so angered by. I don't know your circumstances, I don't judge you; what I judge is ignorance. What I am enraged by is the lack of knowledge and respect for choices made surrounding birth. Why is this risk such an easy option to obtain but to VBAC you have to fight? You'll be told the risks of that and you'll be told in a way that makes you fearful, regardless that a vaginal birth may be a safer choice.

Fear mongering is not ok! Ever!

In conclusion: we must respect each women in the choices she makes for her birth and understand that she made the choice she felt best with the knowledge and support she was given. Don't Hate, Let's Educate. We need to stop bashing one another for the choices the other has already made and start reshaping the way our culture views birth. If we can influence the way we think about birth- trusting mother nature, understanding this normal life process- we can begin rethinking our choices and positively influencing future generations. But with so much negative influence from pop culture and a lack of prevalence in the midwifery model of care, where is a simple consumer to begin improving birth? [<---The answer here.]

Previously in Don't Hate, Let's Educate: Vaccinations and Baby Feeding

For more in evidence based birth to help you make informed choices, follow the Journey of Life.

What's important for your birth ?

Don't Hate, Let's Educate -part one

I try not to judge other parents, I really try. I've heard another mother say, it doesn't matter what she does as long as it doesn't affect my kids; but if you think about it, what each of us does affects the other. Regardless, I don't judge you for the choices you make regarding your children; you parent your way, I'll parent mine. We all make the best choices we can for our families and I respect that in each of us. What I judge is ignorance. Nothing bothers me more than an uneducated decision or a decision made without thoughtfulness.

Don't Hate, Let's Educate!  In this series, I'm going to cover what I feel are the top controversial decisions we must make for our children- sometimes I see parents make these decisions with great care, other times I see thoughtless choices, often influenced by our media. With a great deal of access to social media, television shows, tabloids and more, we are such a misinformed culture!

Stop the Mommy Wars is derived from the concept that the only choices we have control over are our own. What another mom chooses is her decision – who are we to judge that?  We are each free to make our own decisions and we should support another mother in her own decisions, creating a stronger community.  While I fully believe this is an excellent idea to stop the growing trend of pop culture pitting moms against each other, I also feel we have other battles placed in front of us that must be confronted. So should we fight one another, insisting that each person is in the right? No: Don't Hate, Let's Educate.

Vaccinations

If you don't vaccinate, I must. I will say it- vaccinations are why devastating diseases like polio and rubella are no longer prevalent. Does this mean I'm pro-vaccination? Not really, I'm terrified of them! I cringe every time I take my child to get vaccinated. We don't get all of them; I do my research and take my 'risks' accordingly. The problem I have, is all the crap they put in these vaccinations! I'm sure a lot of parents have an issue with this. Another disconcerting factor of vaccinations is the number of diseases we are now attacking. What every happened to chicken pox parties? What's with the rise in childhood shingles? Perhaps it's along the lines of our sudden phobia of illness. In the 1950's we vaccinated for 5 major diseases. Today we vaccinate for 14 and have combo shots to boot! Learn more in the Vaccine Education Center of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Parents who weren't vaccinated as children take claim to being the healthiest people they know. Some parents vaccinate their children and claim no ill effects, while others are sure their child has suffered traumatic reactions to one or a combination of vaccinations. So what's a parent to do.  Should I shout from the roof tops that I am right and you are wrong? No, I won't do that. I will make the best choices for my family and you for yours. All I ask is that you know- know what's in them, understand what they are striving to prevent, know the risks of vaccinating and the risks of not vaccinating. Perhaps you'd consider Homeoprophylaxis? Science-Based Medicine argues that due to the law of dilutions, "homeopaths use nosodes as their vehicle for imaginary vaccinations." You decide but please respect the decision of other parents. Don't hate, let's educate!

Formula vs Breastfeeding

A very small percentage of mothers actually can't breastfeed, a very small percentage. So is it fair for me to judge a mother who chooses to formula feed her baby just because? Probably not. But considering what I said before, "as long as your choices don't affect my kids", maybe it is fair to judge. Or in the very least, I can just be angry at what that child was deprived of. I know, s/he's your child, so why should I be angry? Because formula fed children get sick more than breastfed children- can you say school house germs!? (Check out this blog post by The Alpha Parent and scroll down to numbers 9 & 10) In general, babies who are formula fed are hospitalized more and have more health concerns, including asthma, ear infections, meningitis. All of this affects me and my child, not to mention I find our rising obesity epidemic offensive. The CDC says

Improving the health of mothers and their children is a primary goal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding, with its many known benefits for infants, children, and mothers, is a key strategy toward this goal.

Photo courtesy of Proud to Announce Photograhy

So there you have it! Improving breastfeeding rates is a major goal we are working towards because it does matter and no child should be deprived the benefits of breastfeeding due to an uneducated or selfish decision to formula feed.  [I breastfeed for selfish reasons! and of course for the benefit of my child.] I am coming to realize that my anger is not towards another mother who chooses not to breastfeed but at our culture. So many mothers turn to formula in response to media or fear of social judgment or because they aren't given enough support. I can't fully agree with that last reasoning because the support is there- you just have to look for it. So perhaps, support like La Leche League is overrun and hidden by all those campaigns funded by the formula companies. Formula is no longer being used as it was intended to be used; formula companies got greedy and lactation consultants got ignored for a quick fix solution. I urge you, consider what formula really is and what it was intended for- those few circumstances where a baby couldn't breastfeed- and consider what breasts are really intended for. It is my hope that we all make the best decisions for our babies and given the information it's no secret what that is. Perhaps, like this parent, breast is not best for your family. You deserve respect for your informed choice, despite any disagreement. Don't hate, let's educate.

Fun Fact:

Breastfeeding ensures that vaccinations work properly.

These are just two of the many decisions we'll make as parents on the Journey of Life. 
For more in this series, follow the Journey of Life by email.
Next in Don't Hate, Let's Educate: Birth

Do you vaccinate? Do you cling to breast or bottle? Do you support other mothers whose decisions may differ from you own? I'd love to hear your thoughts.