Environmental Mama

Breastfeeding

I have once again gotten comments about how I am "STILL breastfeeding my baby"?!?!  STILL??  Of course, he is seven years old and in elementary school......oh, no--wait!  He's FIVE MONTHS OLD.  Perhaps I am one of the only mothers on the planet that hasn't figured out how to feed steak and mashed potatoes (well, tofu and veggies) to a toothless five month old.  Someone will have to help me out here and explain how they have their infants off formula or breastmilk.  I suppose I shouldn't tell people that I nursed my last baby past 18 month.  Yep, that's right.  He had a full mouth of teeth, was walking and talking (sort of), and we were both completely happy. 

Ok, seriously.  It floors me that people seem to think you are supposed to nurse your baby for three months or less and then pat yourself on the back for doing your job.  I understand that is doesn't work out for some women or that some women decide not to do it at all.  I agree that something is better than nothing.  I do not understand those women that nurse their baby 6 or 8 weeks or three months and decide they have done their job and quit.  Why?  The beginning is the rough part.  Your milk supply is all over the place, you leak, the kid is goofy and it takes forever to feed that newborn.  Every two hours or so you are sitting down to feed a baby for 20+ minutes.  Oh, yeah and it hurts.  I get it. 

What I also get is what most people don't:  after the first three months or so is the best!  The baby is great at latching on, and it doesn't hurt at all anymore.  Your milk supply regulates, and feeding is super quick.  My five month old can "fill up" in about 8 minutes every 3 or 4 hours.  No bottles, no mess, no work.  Once every three and half hours, I pop him on a boob, switch, and am about done.  I think it is the best and laziest thing I have ever decided to do!  Another perk is that it gets easier with each kid.  You know what you are doing and that makes it simpler and get to the "easy part" much quicker.  No, it is not always perfect and yes, it takes work.  So does being married and raising children and pretty much everything else in life.  You don't have to take it to the point that I do where the child goes from breast to table food and a sippee cup.  I'm not even a baby food fan.  It's expensive, time consuming (especially if you opt to make your own) and not all that necessary.  They didn't have food processors a hundred years ago.  Seriously.  I nurse my babies and start throwing soft, mushy table food at them around 6 or 7 months old and give them a sippee cup to play with.  By about a year, they are good at table food and the cup and I start to slowly wean.  It's simple, easy, and a whole lot cheaper.  

Here is some further information from an article titled "Why Should You Breastfeed?" by a physician:

Contrary to popular opinion, there are few reasons why an infant cannot be breast fed. Breast milk is the preferred source of nutrition for all infants through the first six months of life, and most experts recommend breastfeeding an infant for at least the first year.

Babies who are exclusively formula-fed have a higher incidence of health problems than do infants who are breastfed. Surprisingly, in the US, exclusively formula-fed infants have a 21 percent higher mortality rate.

The Department of Health and Human Services, through its Healthy People 2010 initiative, has established the following goals for breastfeeding: 75 percent of all US mothers will attempt breastfeeding beginning at birth, 50 percent will continue breastfeeding through the first six months, and 25 percent will continue breastfeeding for one year after birth.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Human milk is designed for human infants and is nutritionally superior to formulas. Through observational and clinical studies, breastfeeding has been strongly correlated with multiple health benefits for infants and mothers:

Immunologic Support and Disease Prevention

• Decreased risk of bacterial meningitis, sepsis, diarrhea, otitis media, respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, asthma, Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, sudden infant death syndrome, and diabetes (Types 1 and 2)

Developmental

• Improved outcomes for premature infants

Psychological

• Analgesic or comforting effects during painful procedures

Maternal Health

• Mothers who breastfeed experience decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, reduced postpartum bleeding, and earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight

Economic

• A projected $3.5 billion reduction in annual health care costs, including reduced hospitalization costs, public supplementation programs (such as WIC), and direct patient costs

Environmental

• Reduction in disposal of cans and bottles in public landfill sites

Here are some website about breastfeeding:   

www.kellymom.com

www.llli.org

www.breastfeeding.com

So, I would ask anyone pregnant or with a baby to challenge popular opinion and nurse beyond the first three months.  (Be even crazier still and nurse your toddler!)  And for those of you with older children or no children at all, stop asking the mothers of infants if they are STILL nursing their baby.  Applaud instead. 

--EM!   

Farmer's Market

Sorry to have been MIA for a while now.  Life in general has been kicking my tail.  We've been dealing with flooding rain, pinworms, pink eye, thrush and a newly diagnosed food intolerance for C.  But, here I am again and am on to one of my favorite topics:  the Farmer's Market.

Although we live in a small town, we are fortunate enough to have a farmer's market.  I love the farmer's market!  It is environmentally responsible and frugal...and FUN!  This time I picked up some baby potatoes, tomatoes, peas, and beans.  Oh, and I bought a HUGE basket of fresh organic peaches.  That sucker was HEAVY!  I am going to can it and make peach jam and peach butter......so excited!  I also came home with natural soap, a cloth baked potato bag and a "jug jacket" for nursing.  Okay, so I already had a different nursing cover-up (not to mention a plain old blanket works too), but I hated the stupid thing because it was like a hairdresser's cape.  And baby hated it too because he felt trapped (so I think).  This one was lightweight, and had wire in the neck to hold it slightly away from baby and was covered in really cute little cowboys.  I normally just don't cover up, which is fine with me.  I am super duper pro-breastfeeding and feel you shouldn't have to hide away to feed your baby, but let's face it....sometimes you don't feel comfortable plopping baby on in front of certain company.  To be honest, I usually feel like my "audience" is more uncomfortable than I am (this is baby no.3, and baby no.2 was 18 mos and still nursing so my threshold is way high).  Oh, and A currently likes to check out his surroundings while eating, which means he stops and looks around which leaves me a little too exposed.  Cute, cute find. 

Okay, so I digress.  The point is, I like to spend money at the farmer's market.  I think it is the best place to spend your money (and get the most in return) and the most friendly for Mama Earth.  Here are some reasons why:    

1.  Supports small local farms and hand-made crafts

2.  Fresher produce, picked when ripe

3.  Encourages "in-season" eating

4.  Saves money in your wallet by putting you in direct contact with farmers, cutting out the "middleman"

5.  Reduces travel expenses and waste (ex: less gas utilized to get fresh produce from farm to front door)

6.  Healthier for your body than processed foods

7.  Shared sense of community

8.  You can also bargain for your goods (Note here:  I usually don't, because all is almost always cheaper than the grocery store--but I do when buying in bulk.  Farmers are usually glad to round to even dollars, even if its in your favor)

9.  Less chemicals/pesticides used by farmers who care

10.  Kids usually leave with treats for them, making them cooperative.  This time C and D scored lifesavers and little American flags for each of them (which they are "saving for when B comes home"--ha!)

Oh, I love the farmer's market.  Find your closest one and check it out!  A hint to you:  go early!

-Environmental Mama

Fit and Healthy = Good for the Environment?

So, good morning EM followers!  You may ask what on Earth being fit and healthy has to do with being green.  Good question.  I believe being environmentally friendly encompasses much more than simply throwing an aluminum can into the recycling bin.  Your actions certainly play a big part, but how you take care of your body also plays a key role.  I find that care for the Earth's "body" frequently goes hand in hand with caring for your own body.  Over consumption of food reduces the availability of resources for others.  Not utilizing clean drinking water takes the privilege for granted.  Exercise is healthy for you, and often more green (ex. riding a bike or walking to work).  Caring for our bodies not only respects the Environment, but teaches our children important concepts.  Once again, better to learn now than later.  I will definitely have more to say later, but I thought for now I would point out a useful blog devoted to health and fitness.....Fit Tips from Fit Britt.  You can visit her here:  http://fit-britt.blogspot.com/ 

I have also guest blogged on her site, and plan to do more, so from time to time you may see more links to visit her.  My current guest blog regards breastfeeding, milk supply and diet/exercise.  Go check it out!!

Until next time....

--Environmental Mama