The Boob Group
“Breastfeeding Expectations: The Second Month”
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Robin Kaplan: A mother’s breastfeeding experience changes drastically overtime, starting with her child’s birth throughout the months of a baby’s life. Today, we continue our conversation and our series called Breastfeeding Expectations. Over the next 12 months, we will be following 3 new moms along their breastfeeding journeys, learning how they cope with breastfeeding challenges and settle into a breastfeeding rhythm with their babies. This is the Boob Group, Episode 15.
[Theme Song/Intro]
Robin Kaplan: Welcome to The Boob Group, broadcasting from the Birth Education Center of San Diego. I am your host Robin Kaplan. I am also a certified lactation consultant and owner of the San Diego Breastfeeding Center. At The Boob group, we are your online support group for all things related to breastfeeding. Did you know that we send out a monthly newsletter? This is a great way to get great additional breastfeeding information as well as see exclusive, behind the scenes content from our show, learn about special giveaways, discounts and more. You can find the newsletter sign up on the Boob Group website which is https://www.theboobgroup.com. Now it’s times for me to introduce our lovely moms in the studio, who we will be following for now the next 11 months. Ladies would you like to introduce yourself as well as we also have 2 out of the 3 babies in the studio as well which you might hear a little squawking in the background so if you have you baby in the studio, you can introduce her or I guess with the two ladies who are actually here, so if you’ll introduce yourself and your babies.
Cherri Christiansen: Hi, I’m Cherri Christiansen, am 31 and I work in consumer research. I have one brand new baby who is with us here today, Miss Cali and she is 5 weeks old. Anney Hall Hi, I’m Anney Hall, am an architect here in San Diego and I have one baby girl Lady Eleanor and she is here with us today and yeah.
Robin Kaplan: How old is Eleanor?
Anney Hall: Eleanor is 9 weeks old.
Jennifer Oliver: I am Jennifer Oliver, I am 33 almost 34. I work in Arts education and I have 2 children one who is 2 and half and my most recent is 5 weeks almost 6 weeks.
Robin Kaplan: Fantastic. Well, ladies welcome to the show.
[Theme Music]
[Featured Segment: News Headlines - Pediatricians Aim to Stop
Formula Handouts]
Robin Kaplan: So let’s kick off today’s episode with some unbelievable breastfeeding stories making headlines around the internet. All of these stories are posted on the boob group Pinterest board if you want to check them out. So the headline I found for today is called “Pediatrician and hospitals resolve to stop infant formula handouts”. And so what happened this past week is the American Academy of Pediatrics decided that they do not want to provide formula company gift bags, coupons and industry offer handouts to the parents of newborns and infants in the office or in the clinical setting. And their rationale was that researches demonstrated that this free distribution of commercial materials such as formula samples, diaper bags, formula coupons and other gifts from this formula company marketing, it endorses formula feeding and creates the impression that clinicians favor formula feeding over breastfeeding and research demonstrates that this activity decreases exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding. So Jennifer do you mind if we start with you first? What do you think about that? Jennifer Oliver: Yeah, sure. I was just thinking; I love getting free stuff.
All: [Laughs]
Jennifer Oliver: So am totally bombed, if they stop giving free stuff. But at the same time I think I did...when I remember getting it with Fiona my first child, I remembered thinking, oh am supposed to find out about the stuff, oh I should probably get some formula because I guess am supposed to be feeding with formula. So I think I remember having that thought process and then it wasn’t until later that I realized: oh, I never need this stuff because am breastfeeding so.... This time however I didn’t get that, I am with Kaiser and they didn’t give me any gifts.
Robin Kaplan: Uh, that’s because Kaiser is going baby friendly, so they don’t do these anymore.
Jennifer Oliver: Go Kaiser.
Robin Kaplan: That’s really interesting, that’s awesome that they have already taken that stand.
Jennifer Oliver: But they did give me free stuff. I got a bag and a little changing pad. The interesting thing though, was probably the bag does....
Robin Kaplan: Probably has the name Kaiser on it.
Jennifer Oliver: It does.
Robin Kaplan: Rather than a formula company so they’ve already made that change which is super cool. Alright, Miss Elly is going to get some food right now, so we will go over to Cherri. Cherri what do you think about this?
Cherri Christiansen: I actually just read about it this, this week and I thought it was a great move. I.... because my daughter was born at home, I had missed out on all the freebies from the hospital which I love free stuff too, so at first I was a little sad and then I realized probably I didn’t want anything that they were giving me. But, I was actually amazed at how much formula started arriving in the mail, and I was like, “How did they know that am having a baby, where did this come from and its probably from the mailing list and other things that I had signed up for”. It was really awful because I knew I was going to be breastfeeding and yet I couldn’t throw it away. I had this thought at the back of my head like, what if I do need it, what if something happens and...., so I kind of like put it out of sight in the garage and I was like, I will donate it to someone who does need it and I am sure they will appreciate the five stacks, five cans that I have but I think that is a great thing. And you know I noticed when I went to the pediatrician’s office, that, as I walking into the room on the cupboards they had little labels labeling every little thing where the thermometers were and this and that and I noticed that they were two cupboards labeled with formula, even in the pediatrician’s office which I kind of found a little disappointing since they were very supportive and very pro- breastfeeding, so I think it’s a great move.
Robin Kaplan: How about you Anney?
Anney Hall: What I was going to say I agree that it’s a good thing that it’s not encouraged. I don’t remember seeing it in the hospital or getting freebies for the formula itself, but I remember seeing it on websites and looking at their advertisement in what the formula was advertising as a good thing beyond formula and thinking: how am I supposed to do this? I am I supposed to get this? Because as a new mom, you.... I feel like there is all these things that come at you and...., I don’t know what am supposed to be doing...
All: [Laughs]
Anney Hall: You follow your instincts and so..., by realizing that it was an advertisement by a formula company and taking a step back then going: Oh, okay, obviously this is ....they are trying to get me to buy something, so this is all commercial, so....
Robin Kaplan: Well very cool. Thank you for sharing your opinions on this, and when we come back, we will get into our information about what you guys have been doing over the past month since we spoke last, so we will be right back.
[Theme Music]
Robin Kaplan: So today on the Boob Group we are discussing what Anney, Jenn and Cherri’s breastfeeding experiences have been like during their
Thank to all of our listeners. I hope you will visit our website https://www.theboobgroup.com and add your stories about breastfeeding your one to two months old in the comment section of this episode’s page. If you have any questions about today’s show or the topics we discussed, please call our Boob Group hotline at 619-866-4775 and we will answer your questions on an upcoming episode. Coming up next week, we will be discussing tight frenula and how they can affect breastfeeding. Thanks for listening to the Boob Group because mothers know breast.
[Disclaimer]
This has been a New Mommy Media Production. The information material contained in this episode are presented for educational purposes only. Statements and opinions expressed in this episode are not necessarily those of New Mommy Media and should not be considered facts. Though such information materials are
believed to be accurate, it is not intended to replace or substitute for professional medical advice or care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating health care problems or disease or prescribing any medication. If you have questions or concerns regarding your physical or mental health or the health of your baby, please seek assistance from a qualified healthcare provider.
[00:41:02]
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