Round Up

A Vegan Lifestyle is NOT Necessarily Unhealthy for Babies
You may have heard about the couple in Atlanta who were convicted of starving their newborn daughter. Their defense was that they were vegan and that human breastmilk wasn't a valid part of the vegan diet. I do eat meat, but am respectful and knowledgeable enough of other lifestyles to realize that was the most ignorant statement I had ever heard. What disturbed me MOST is that folks who are NOT as knowledgable of other lifestyles would take such an ignorant statement to heart and think that ALL vegans think human breastmilk wasn't a good thing. This article sets the story straight - if you are not familiar with the vegan lifestyle, I highly recommend reading it. The parents recently convicted were NOT a good representation of what vegans stand for.

Wealthy Moms Breastfeed Longer?
This article is about findings that show that wealthy moms are able to breastfeed longer. While I question such a bold headline for a study that include such a small sample size (399 mothers total) in such a small location (Yolo County in CA), the findings were nonetheless interesting. I've always felt a little bad that overall, breastfeeding was easy for me - I stay at home so I was able to fully concentrate on the task at hand. Since I'm not going back to a working environment, I won't have to worry about ensuring I get enough breaks to pump, figure out a room where I can pump in, then find a suitable place to store it for the day. Furthermore, I just got done spending a hefty amount on Soothie gel pads that will go a LONG way in helping to relieve the early weeks of nipple pain. Not every mother can afford to do that. I am not sure what the answer is, but the article did get me to thinking.