Masochistic Mommy

Severe projectile vomiting in young babies can be the sign of a gut disorder called Pyloric Stenosis. This is where the tube connecting the baby’s stomach to their gut grows rapidly thicker until it becomes so thick that the stomach can no longer empty properly. The condition is often accompanied by constant hunger, belching, and colic. If left untreated it can lead to severe dehydration. It is not known exactly what causes Pyloric Stenosis, and distinguishing it from reflux or gastroenteritis is hard for the novice parent. So when Rebecca, a first time mother, discovered her breastfed baby was suddenly vomiting, she was confused. When does spitting up move from a laundry problem to a medical one? When does spitting up mean something serious? “I guess I always knew that I would breastfeed to the point where I didn't go to any antenatal classes, I just thought 'well how hard can it be '? After a long and difficult labour that ended up in a theatre-forceps delivery I embarked...

Human milk is the most natural and physiologic substance that a baby can ingest. If a baby shows allergic sensitivities related to breastfeeding, it is usually a foreign protein that has piggybacked into mother's milk, and not the milk itself. Yet many mothers (and more worryingly, health professionals) believe that if a baby has an allergy the only remedy is to switch to hypoallergenic formula. This is grossly untrue. In such circumstances, mothers do not need to reach for the bottle - they just need to take a break from eating or drinking things containing the offending protein for a while. Allergy is certainly no reason to wean - it simply requires an investment of effort from the mother. And every baby is worth that, right? This mother thinks so. When her baby became seriously ill it was discovered that he had multiple allergies, requiring a complete overhaul of his mom's diet! Could she deal with this whilst also battling recurring mastitis, aggressive oversupply, and a ...

Inside your mouth, there is a small fold of tissue which runs between your upper lip and gum (you can feel it with your tongue). This is called the maxillary labial frenum.  Most people have no significant frenum attachment, but sometimes this frenum attaches further down the gum, or runs between the front teeth and attaches behind them, causing restricted movement of the upper lip.  A baby with this condition may find it difficult to latch to the breast effectively. Once latched, his upper lip may be tucked inwards, resulting in a shallow latch causing pain for mom and insufficient milk intake for baby. You are about to read the story of one such baby, Tom. He had an upper labial tie, and it was left undiagnosed until he was 20 months old! Yet he has never received a drop of formula. How did his mother assure this? Read on. “Breastfeeding is definitely an emotive subject for me. I tried so hard to be successful. Tough from Day 1 I couldn't get a good latch from the start. My...

Employment shouldn't spell curtains for nursing mothers. Not only is breastfeeding best for mother and baby, it is also in the employer's best interest. Employers who accommodate breastfeeding retain experienced employees; have a reduction in sick time taken by both moms and dads for children's illnesses; and enjoy lower health care and insurance costs. Win-Win! Yet despite these incentives, the marriage of work and lactation is a rocky road for many. In 2009, the Society for Human Resource Management reported that only 25 percent of companies had lactation programs or made special accommodations for breastfeeding ( SHRM 2009 ). Furthermore, these employers do not specify whether this means there is a private room in which to pump on-site, professional lactation support, subsidies for breast-pump purchases, or whether the “lactation program” consists of no more than allowing employees to pump in their own offices. To make matters worse, many mothers encounter pressure from...

Exclusive pumping provides the worst of both breast and formula feeding. Like breastfeeding, it is hard work, the mother’s breasts are constantly ‘in demand’ and the weight of responsibility is squarely on mom’s shoulders; And like formula feeding, bottles still need to be steralized. Yet paradoxically, exclusive pumping also offers the best of both worlds – baby is getting mother’s milk, yet mother does not need to be on location. One thing is certain, the extra time and commitment involved in exclusive pumping raises a host of unique issues. When her newborn had trouble latching, this mother turned to exclusive pumping. However, trouble was lurking around the corner. Was this a decision she would live to regret? “ It all started after a hard 42-hour induction for pre-eclampsia at 38 weeks.  Our daughter and first born Zoë came into this world screaming and the nurses demanded that I put her to the breast immediately.  Baby and I were both exhausted and we couldn't get her t...