In response to my Relactation Story in Breastfeeding Matters

I had written to La Leche League after my article was printed, with the following comment:
"Breastfeeding Matters;
I got my issue today-I am very glad to have it it and happy to see our article printed in your magazine. I would like to clarify one thing that I am unhappy that you edited out of my Relactation Story. I wrote "I am glad formula exists for that reason." You edited out "for that reason." I am not glad formula exists, as a whole. It should be on prescription only, IMO, because it is an emergency food and nothing else-it is a dead food and NOT healthy for babies. If a family genuinely cannot breastfeed, they should seek an informed milksharing arrangement-formula being an absolute last reserve. It destroys babies' health that so many families are willing to give up and go this route so quickly-it is only because it is convenient and the risks of not feeding a baby breastmilk are not commonly known, which I feel as one of the nations' leading sources of breastfeeding information, it should be a key duty of the LLL to inform mothers of this risk. I want people to know how I really feel on this issue. 
-Yardana Sirken of Looe, Cornwall, Relactation Story p.6"


I sent the article, along with this note, to a friend. Her reply is so kind!
This is so so so  beautiful!  I knew instantly what part was edited and I didn’t even read your comments in your email til after.  When I read it – I was thinking there is no way you would have said that knowing what I do know about you.  Otherwise – it is an incredible story and I am so proud of you.  This story needs to be told often.  You know – what Emma posted on your page rings true in this instance: While breastfeeding may not seem the right choice for every parent, it is the best choice for every baby.  To me that says that it isn’t always what is comfortable for the mother or what is easy….what you overcame to get your breastfeeding relationship wasn’t easy at all – but it wasn’t about you.  Well, breastfeeding is partly about the mother – but I think first and foremost about the nutrition and bonding for the babe.  You are awesome, Carrot!

Dear Bonnie;
I am grinning ear to ear! Thank you so much for your beautiful comments. What sweet, sweet things to say, and I could not agree with you and Emma more which is why I went through what I did. I went through blood, sweat and tears (literally) to get my breastfeeding relationship because there was no option to me. I have had a lot of hateful comments because of this article as well, from both breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers who think it is a personal choice and that I should not judge motehrs who cannot breastfeed. I don't know what they don't understand about the fact that I am part of HM4HB (blog readers: If you have not heard of this network, look it up. NOW. :)), but I am part of it BECAUSE I want to HELP the children of mothers who have not been able to get through these issues, because I well know that these problems are by no means easy or uncomplicated and not everyone knows to get the resources to work through them and that not breastfeeding does not always equal lazy. It is so sad that people's insecurities due to them choosing to take the easy, lazy route of simply not trying means they think that I am judging them. I do feel so bad for mothers who genuinely wish to and cannot/have not been able to overcome the difficulties in order to breastfeed, because having experienced both bottle and breastfeeding I can honestly say that breastfeeding brings a mother and her baby closer together. When I was feeding Osrid exclusively pumped milk from a bottle, I could not wake up in the night when he was screaming for me-and we are bedsharers! Thankfully, his father woke up when he cried. Now, not so long after I submitted the article, I changed to exclusively breastfeeding instead of combined pumping and breastfeeding because I realised that being a full time stay-at-home-mum, I had absolutely no excuse not to, and I was being unfair to my child since he quite obviously preferred the breast-his father, although he liked feeding O.O., was not disheartened, because he agreed and was relieved at the extra rest. Once I switched to exclusively breastfeeding, O.O. became an even happier boy, he slept better, *I* slept WAY better, and I began to wake the instant he did-funny that-and our bonding increased drastically. There is no comparison. My son's father decided to join in the bonding by cuddling us and stroking us sometimes while he feeds, something he still does. Our family dynamic is so much better. I only pump now to freeze milk for donating and for cooking (cows' milk? No thanks). To put a long story short, I love breastfeeding!
~Yardana 

Breastmilk-A Closer Look

Did you ever wonder
what’s in...
BREASTMILK:

Water
Carbohydrates (energy source)
Lactose
Oligosaccharides (see below)
Carboxylic acid
Alpha hydroxy acid
Lactic acid
Proteins (building muscles and bones)
Whey protein
Alpha-lactalbumin
HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumour cells)
Lactoferrin
Many antimicrobial factors (see below)
Casein
Serum albumin
Non-protein nitrogens
Creatine
Creatinine
Urea
Uric acid
Peptides (see below)
Amino Acids (the building blocks of proteins)
Alanine
Arginine
Aspartate
Clycine
Cystine
Glutamate
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lycine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Proline
Serine
Taurine
Theronine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine
Valine
Carnitine (amino acid compound necessary to make use of fatty acids as an energy source)
Nucleotides (chemical compounds that are the structural units of RNA and DNA)
5’-Adenosine monophosphate (5”-AMP)
3’:5’-Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (3’:5’-cyclic AMP)
5’-Cytidine monophosphate (5’-CMP)
Cytidine diphosphate choline (CDP choline)
Guanosine diphosphate (UDP)
Guanosine diphosphate - mannose
3’- Uridine monophosphate (3’-UMP)
5’-Uridine monophosphate (5’-UMP)
Uridine diphosphate (UDP)
Uridine diphosphate hexose (UDPH)
Uridine diphosphate-N-acetyl-hexosamine (UDPAH)
Uridine diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGA)
Several more novel nucleotides of the UDP type
Fats
Triglycerides
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (important for brain development)
Arachidonic acid (AHA) (important for brain development)
Linoleic acid
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Conjugated linoleic acid (Rumenic acid)
Free Fatty Acids
Monounsaturated fatty acids
Oleic acid
Palmitoleic acid
Heptadecenoic acid
Saturated fatty acids
Stearic
Palmitic acid
Lauric acid
Myristic acid
Phospholipids
Phosphatidylcholine
Phosphatidylethanolamine
Phosphatidylinositol
Lysophosphatidylcholine
Lysophosphatidylethanolamine
Plasmalogens
Sphingolipids
Sphingomyelin
Gangliosides
GM1
GM2
GM3
Glucosylceramide
Glycosphingolipids
Galactosylceramide
Lactosylceramide
Globotriaosylceramide (GB3)
Globoside (GB4)
Sterols
Squalene
Lanosterol
Dimethylsterol
Methosterol
Lathosterol
Desmosterol
Triacylglycerol
Cholesterol
7-dehydrocholesterol
Stigma-and campesterol
7-ketocholesterol
Sitosterol
β-lathosterol
Vitamin D metabolites
Steroid hormones
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Beta carotene
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B8 (Inositol)
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
a-Tocopherol
Vitamin K
Thiamine
Riboflavin
Niacin
Folic acid
Pantothenic acid
Biotin
Minerals
Calcium
Sodium
Potassium
Iron
Zinc
Chloride
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Copper
Manganese
Iodine
Selenium
Choline
Sulpher
Chromium
Cobalt
Fluorine
Nickel
Metal
Molybdenum (essential element in many enzymes)
Growth Factors (aid in the maturation of the intestinal lining)
Cytokines
interleukin-1β (IL-1β)
IL-2
IL-4
IL-6
IL-8
IL-10
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)
Macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF)
Platelet derived growth factors (PDGF)
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
Hepatocyte growth factor -α (HGF-α)
HGF-β
Tumor necrosis factor-α
Interferon-γ
Epithelial growth factor (EGF)
Transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α)
TGF β1
TGF-β2
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (also known as somatomedin C)
Insulin-like growth factor- II
Nerve growth factor (NGF)
Erythropoietin
Peptides (combinations of amino acids)
HMGF I (Human growth factor)
HMGF II
HMGF III
Cholecystokinin (CCK)
β-endorphins
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP)
β-defensin-1
Calcitonin
Gastrin
Motilin
Bombesin (gastric releasing peptide, also known as neuromedin B)
Neurotensin
Somatostatin
Hormones (chemical messengers that carry signals from one cell, or group of cells, to another
via the blood)
Cortisol
Triiodothyronine (T3)
Thyroxine (T4)
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (also known as thyrotropin)
Thyroid releasing hormone (TRH)
Prolactin
Oxytocin
Insulin
Corticosterone
Thrombopoietin
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
GRH
Leptin (aids in regulation of food intake)
Ghrelin (aids in regulation of food intake)
Adiponectin
Feedback inhibitor of lactation (FIL)
Eicosanoids
Prostaglandins (enzymatically derived from fatty acids)
PG-E1
PG-E2
PG-F2
Leukotrienes
Thromboxanes
Prostacyclins
Enzymes (catalysts that support chemical reactions in the body)
Amylase
Arysulfatase
Catalase
Histaminase
Lipase
Lysozyme
PAF-acetylhydrolase
Phosphatase
Xanthine oxidase
Antiproteases (thought to bind themselves to macromolecules such as enzymes and as a result
prevent allergic and anaphylactic reactions)
a-1-antitrypsin
a-1-antichymotrypsin
Antimicrobial factors (are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects,
such as bacteria and viruses.
Leukocytes (white blood cells)
Phagocytes
Basophils
Neutrophils
Eoisinophils
Macrophages
Lymphocytes
B lymphocytes (also known as B cells)
T lymphocytes (also known as C cells)
sIgA (Secretory immunoglobulin A) (the most important antiinfective factor)
IgA2
IgG
IgD
IgM
IgE
Complement C1
Complement C2
Complement C3
Complement C4
Complement C5
Complement C6
Complement C7
Complement C8
Complement C9
Glycoproteins
Mucins (attaches to bacteria and viruses to prevent
them from clinging to mucousal tissues)
Lactadherin
Alpha-lactoglobulin
Alpha-2 macroglobulin
Lewis antigens
Ribonuclease
Haemagglutinin inhibitors
Bifidus Factor (increases growth of Lactobacillus bifidus - which is a
good bacteria)
Lactoferrin (binds to iron which prevents harmful bacteria from using the
iron to grow)
Lactoperoxidase
B12 binding protein (deprives microorganisms of vitamin B12)
Fibronectin (makes phagocytes more aggressive, minimizes inflammation, and repairs
damage caused by inflammation)
Oligosaccharides (more than 200 different kinds!

Developed as a student project for the Breastfeeding Course for Health Care Providers, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC, Canada  -  © 2007 by Cecily Heslett, Sherri Hedberg and Haley Rumble.
(Taken from http://www.bcbabyfriendly.ca/whatsinbreastmilkposter.pdf)

I now challenge you to take a look at what is in infant formulae on the shelves...and to read this: http://thealphaparent.blogspot.com/2011/10/15-tricks-of-formula-companies.html

BREASTMILK has nutritional value at any age-so I will breastfeed my son as long as he wants to. As all children should be able to. As nature had planned!

Breastmilk And The Adult Human Body-A Follow-Up

I apologise for the delay between posts. I decided that it would be in the better interest of the 24 hour breastmilk project to wait some time after it had ended to continually discuss with my husband on the subject of his health, so that I might gain a better understanding of the effects that breastfeeding had on his body over a more substantial period of time.

So, those of you who have taken a genuine interest in this project are probably keen to know by now what happened during this project.

It is important to note that my husband started to feel a virus coming on right before we started this, so this may have impacted the results of all of this. For this reason, we will probably be recording another project in the not-too-distant-future. Well, my husband decided before our "24 hour clock" had started on the project, to have his final evening meal. He then lazed about once the clock had struck, watched some television and went to bed without breastfeeding, as he was still quite full from his meal, and opted not to wake for night feedings as he was feeling unwell and wished not to disturb his body unless/until it needed something.

So, he did not end up feeding until we woke up many hours later (I had fed our just shy of 11 month old son, who is it seems having a major growth spurt as he is feeding and sleeping a LOT) many times during the night and we woke up almost 12 hours later. He fed at random intervals throughout the day, and I asked him at various points how he was feeling.

He reported something that surprised me earlier on in the day, which was that his stomach felt quite empty but that he felt no need whatsoever to eat(solid food that is). I anticipated that the opposite would happen, being that he was having nothing but breastmilk and water-that he would quench his thirst, fill his belly, but feel a strong need to eat solid food.

TMI part here, so look away/skip this part if it bothers you:

My husband has a lot of gut issues, such as pain and frequent/urgent, liquidish bowel movements. He reported that his bowel movements were more solid, less frequent, and that his intestinal area felt much more comfortable-and this had a somewhat residual effect through the following day, though not permanent.

He also appears less puffy in the face. We are disappointed to say that we could not weigh him as the battery in the scale seems to have DIED since the day before, so I cannot say as to what effect it has had on his weight, but by appearances I would say it has been a good one.

By the end of the (24 hour, that is) day, Paul was feeling rather tired and did need to eat quite badly, but overall he feels it went quite well and wants to try it again soon!

Now, how was I through all of this, you ask?

Well, surprisingly, I did not have any milk supply issues. I thought I might have, considering especially how often our son is feeding right now. However, I did take extra iron, iodine and B12 prior to this little expirement of ours, and made sure to keep myself very well hydrated.

My nipples felt fine, too, I felt no particular sensitivities or anything to note. I have taught my husband to have a very good latch, however, so I imagine it isn't much too different than the feeling of tandem-feeding children.

How was O.O.?

He was fine. During the feeds when his father and him were at the breast simultaneously, they were both very cuddly, and Osrid is finding it very funny as well when his father feeds with him sometimes when he is in a more energetic mood-I think something about Paul's big curly hairs make him giggle. I will tell you it feels very silly having two boys giggling on your breasts!!

Feel free to ask me any questions-I will be happy to answer any comments that are left respectfully :)

A Day Of The Very Breast Milk

As of midnight tonight, my husband Paul and I plan to partake in an experiment. Paul will be nourished exclusively on a diet of my breastmilk (on tap, why not?) and water for a full 24 hours.

It is no secret that Paul already has my breastmilk once a day. I am also exclusively breastfeeding our nearly 11 month old son.

The purpouse of this experiment will be to discover the following:

-Whether my body will respond to his saliva (as we know mother's bodies do when breastfeeding children) and create the fats and calories needed to adequately sustain both him and our child. If at any point my body begins to ceases in doing so, we will cease our experiment and Paul will resume the consumption of solid foods as per his usual diet.
-The effects of breastmilk on his weight, and how it may effect his eating habits once the detox is finished.
-How my body will be impacted-weight loss/gain, hunger, fatigue, mood ect.
-How my milk supply and nipple sensitivity will be impacted.
-How Osrid Olov (our son) will respond to tandem feeding with his father-will they be more bonded or will our son feel protective and broody, ect?

I will be reporting the results after the exclusive breastfeeding diet is over. I am currently taking extra iron & iodine to make up for any my body may lose.

I would also like to answer any other questions you may have about the experiment, so please ask away-but please be respectful. All spam and hateful comments/questions will be deleted without a second thought! Remember, you don't HAVE to read this if it offends you! :)