Stumptown Mom

Got milk? Donate to Haiti!

****UPDATE - 1/28/10 - Breastmilk donations are no longer being requested for Haiti.  We'll let you know if that situation changes.  In the meantime, US milk banks are facing historic shortages so you can help vulnerable and sick infants here in the US by becoming a milk donor.****

We've all been deeply moved by the scenes of devastation following the earthquake in Haiti earlier this month. And if you're like so many of us, you've wondered how you can help.  Making a financial donation is important - if you haven't already, the need is still great!  

Nursing moms have been looking for a way to donate breastmilk for babies who were victims of the earthquake. Finally, there's a way to donate breastmilk!  

Just yesterday, 1/25, the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, together with several other breastfeeding organizations, made an urgent call for donations of human donor milk.  The first shipment of donor milk is expected to be sent this week to the US Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort.  Read the press release.

Interesting in donating breastmilk?  In Portland, you can drop-off at one of three local sites.  Contact drop-off sites directly to start the donor screening process.

For now, they are focusing on providing donor milk to the USNS Comfort as they have a lactation consultant and doctors on board.  The hospital ship welcomed the delivery of its first baby, a 7 week early premature baby and is now home to several preemies.   There are not yet systems available to keep the perishable donor milk safe on the ground in Haiti.

Find out more about plans to open a milk bank in Portland.

Photo courtesy United Nations.

Got milk? Donate today!

Are you a nursing mama with milk to spare? The Mothers Milk Bank of Colorado needs your milk today! Facing freezers emptier than they have been in their 25 year history, the Mothers Milk Bank of Colorado is in desperate need of milk donations. Read the front page story from the Denver Post. Portland area moms can help by donating their precious breastmilk today. You can drop off at one of our three local drop-off sites: Adventist Medical Center, St. Vincent Medical Center and Providence Newberg Medical Center. Contact them to get started. Out of the Portland area? Contact the Mothers Milk Bank of Colorado directly to become a donor. Help fill the freezers in Denver today! Not only do we want to show our Northwest support, but currently, fragile babies in the Northwest are receiving donor milk from Denver. We're working hard to develop a milk bank in Portland. Find out more about the development of the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank and how you can help by volunteering or donating funds.

Also posted on Activistas.

Make reducing infant mortality part of the debate

Health care reform is taking center stage in the news these days.  Chances are health care is taking a bigger chunk of your paycheck too.  With everyone talking about reform - what will it mean?  What are the misconceptions (and there are plenty out there!)?  What will it mean for me? - let's talk too about reducing infant mortality.

Each year our country spends $26.2 billion on premature babies.  Yikes!  Did you also know that our rates of premature birth have been rising and can lead to long-term issues for those children, their families and even our health care spending?  You can act now to make prematurity a part of the national health care debate!

DONA International, a certifying organization for doulas as well as a number of other interested groups are partnering on reducinginfantmortality.com to push this agenda forward.  

Learn more about the Midwifery Model of Care.  Find out how to take action and contact your legislators.

Watch this great video they produced to highlight the costs associated with prematurity and what we can do to fix the problem:

  

[Thanks to Flickr CC - protorio for the perfect pic]

World Breastfeeding Week: Are you ready?

It's World Breastfeeding Week!  Time to celebrate breastfeeding and its role in the health of babies around the world.  This year, the theme is Breastfeeding:  A Vital Emergency Response.  Planning for an emergency is important.  Who would have thought about breastfeeding as a vital part of this kind of planning?  But it's true.  Being able to safely feed a baby during times of disasters can be critical as infants are more vulnerable during emergencies.

Remember that Chinese police officer who selflessly breastfed orphans after the devestating earthquakes?  UNICEF and other groups are encouraging moms to breastfeed, especially following disasters.  Check out this video about their efforts following the cyclones in Myanmar.

You might be thinking - that's great for folks in other parts of the world, but how does this impact us?  Well, we never know when an emergency will strike.  We live in an earthquake zone, remember?!  Or maybe we'll have flooding or who knows (remember Hurricane Katrina?).  

You can support local breastfeeding efforts or get breastfeeding assistance by contacting one of these wonderful organizations:

•  Nursing Mothers Counsel -- offers a volunteer-staffed help line, free breastfeeding classes and pump sales.  Call them at 503- 282-3338 
• La Leche League -- offers free support groups around the area.
• Find a Lactation Consultant near you.

Drop off a dish for a new parent

When we had a new baby, a friend organized an amazing schedule of meal deliveries.  Our friends and coworkers supported us for several weeks with regular food drop-offs.  We'll forever be grateful for the support and nourishment these meals brought at a time when we really needed help!  Ever since then, it's been my mission to bring a meal to every new mom I know (and even a few I don't know!).  

Everyone says, "let me know if there's anything I can do to help" but without a concrete way to help, their offers usually go unfulfilled.  A directed appeal to do something - and commit to a date - gives well-meaning supporters a way to do just that - help.  A few hints from the food delivery trenches:

1. Get someone to organize a calendar of food deliveries.  This SHOULD NOT be the new parents themselves -- they have enough to do and keep track of.  Assign a friend to be in charge of scheduling and make sure they are good at communicating.
2. Email everyone who might be interested - friends, family, coworkers, etc.  Let them decide whether or not they want to participate.  They can always ignore the email.  Sometimes people surprise you! 
3. Use email and a simple Google Calendar to let folks know which days are available and which are taken.  Or try using some of the new email services like Meal Baby.   Every other day tends to be a good schedule.  Make sure the family knows who is dropping off when, and how to get in touch with them in case something comes up.
4. Check with the family and make any food preferences and allergies known.  A meatloaf delivered to a vegetarian household isn't helpful for anyone. 
5. Remember that dropping off food is supposed to help the family, not be a burden.  You're not going to be eating with them - and you might not even see the baby.   
6. Don't bring lasagna.  OK, you could bring lasagna, but think about bringing something else.  Be creative - pasta casseroles get old quickly.  And when possible, don't leave baking dishes they will have to clean and return.

If you're a cook - just make extra food that night, throw in a bag of salad, maybe a baguette and some chocolate (essential, really) and you've got a great drop-off meal.  Leftovers keep the love flowing into the next day too.

If cooking's not your thing - take-out is always appreciated.  The New Seasons or Whole Foods deli counters are fabulous places to grab some delicious grub (maybe a rotisserie chicken and veggies or some soup and salad) to go.  Or pick something up at their favorite restaurant.  Think thai curry or a mezza platter or yummy Indian food.  You could also call a local pizza place and order something to be delivered.  Or try Delivered Dish - they pick up from a bunch of restaurants all over town.

Have you been the recipient of this kind of food love when you had a newborn or needed some extra help or kindness?  Did it make a difference for your family?  

[photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons - kimberlykv]

Finding the right doula

A while ago, we talked about how wonderful doulas are.  If you're still unclear about using a doula, or your partner needs some data to seal the deal, check out why DONA says "Doulas Make a Difference!"

Maybe you're already decided that a doula would help with your labor and delivery or after the baby arrives.  So now what?  Where do you find a qualified, supportive doula?  We're lucky in the metro area to have a wealth of resources.  Here are a few tips on finding doulas in your area:

1. Ask your friends, family, neighbors and anyone else you know who has used a doula.  They can give you names and recommendations.  There's nothing better than a personal referral.
2. Find a qualified doula through the Birth Support Network (a local membership organization for doulas and other folks who support families).
3. DONA (a national membership and certifying organization) can help you find a doula in your area. 
4. CAPPA - Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association is another national membership organization.    

You really want to find a doula you feel comfortable with.  Chances are you'll be spending a fair amount of time with this person in a pretty intimate way if they are supporting you with labor.  Or they may be spending time with your family in your home.  You want to feel confident in the support person you choose --

• Start early!  Doulas juggle their schedules carefully and don't take many clients at once.  Looking early will give you choices.
• Interview a few different doulas to get a sense of what you're looking for, their personality and approach. 
• Ask lots of questions and ask about their training and certifications. 
• Ask for references - and check them! 
• Clarify the terms of the contract - how much they charge, when it's due, what happens if they aren't available, how to contact them, how many visits they include in their rate, etc. 

Wanting a doula but feeling pinched financially?  There are still some options!  PDX Doulas is an amazing, grant-funded program that provides birth doulas to moms who request them, free of charge at OHSU.   Or try finding a student doula -- they will often attend births or provide postpartum support pro-bono.  Birthingway College of Midwifery has a list of student birth and postpartum doulas.  Or get in touch with the Birth Support Network to find an interested doula.

WIC supports moms and kids

Times are tough in Portland and families are feeling strained.  Let's face it, sometimes families need a little help.  Oregon's WIC program is there with nutrition support for pregnant women, moms and children.

Who is eligible?  Pregnant women, new moms with babies under 6 months, breastfeeding moms with babies under 12 months, and infants and children under 5.  Eligibility is based on income. 

What does WIC provide?

• Vouchers for supplemental food including milk, cheese, beans, peanut butter and more.
• Farm Direct Nutrition Program offers vouchers for fruits and vegetables at local farmer's markets! 
• Breastfeeding promotion and support.
• Breast pumps for eligible nursing moms returning to work.
• Nutrition education, information and referral to other health programs.

Contact the WIC clinic nearest you for more information.

Moms Helping Moms

Who better to help a mom with breastfeeding than another mom who has been there for those 2am feedings and lived to tell about it. The Nursing Mothers Counsel of Oregon is an all-volunteer organization serving the greater Portland area. Moms with real-life breastfeeding experience receive extensive training as peer counselors and take calls on the phone line. Best of all, it's FREE. Call if you have questions, need support or are looking for resources - they can help. In Oregon, (503) 282-3338 or in Washington - (360) 750-0656.

You might not know that the Nursing Mothers Counsel also sells breast pumps at reduced cost, offers free breastfeeding classes and advocates for our rights as breastfeeding mamas. We also have NMC to thank for Oregon's new law requiring employers to give nursing mamas breaks to express their milk.

Stumptown Mom salutes the Nursing Mothers Counsel. Visit their website for more great info and resources.