We are big advocates of breastfeeding! "Breast is Best" is what we follow with our babies. To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, the Babygizmo.com's Weekly Giveaway is a fantastic Breastfeeding Baby Gift Bag sponsored by Medela for all our nursing mamas out there!
Giveaway Gift Bag Includes:
Medela Nursing Bra (Winner's choice)
Tender Care Lanolin
Tender Care Hydro Gel Pads
Nursing Stool
How to Enter the Giveaway Contest:
It's easy! Same way you enter our Giant Weekly Giveaway each week. Just log in and you are entered to win!
Giveaway Sponsored by:
World Breastfeeding Week (August 1 - 7) draws the world's attention to the importance of supporting mothers who are providing their children the best nutrition with early and exclusive breastfeeding. It is organized by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and is celebrated in 120 countries.
According to Irene Zoppi, international board certified lactation consultant and Medela clinical education specialist, research shows that breastfeeding helps transition babies from the womb to the outside world; aids emotional, physical and intellectual development; and offers protection from jaundice, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and childhood cancers. It also helps mothers with post-pregnancy weight loss and protects them from UTIs, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis.
TIPS FOR BREASTFEEDING SUCCESS
Ms. Zoppi has more than 25 years experience helping nursing mothers. She gave us these tried and true tips for breastfeeding success:
-Do your homework. Plan to learn as much as you can about breastfeeding. Sign up for a class about breastfeeding - perhaps at the hospital where you will be delivering.
-Seek advice from a pro. Arrange to meet with a certified lactation consultant before the baby is born. Ask friends and family for referrals to pediatricians in your community who are supportive of breastfeeding. Many providers invite expectant parents to make appointments with them before the baby is born to discuss their needs and desires.
-Reach out to others. Surround yourself with people who will offer you the encouragement you need. Support organizations such as La Leche League International (LLLI) and the Nursing Mothers' Council offer breastfeeding support to women in local communities. Attending meetings will give you the opportunity to meet and compare notes with other breastfeeding mothers. Contact your local hospital for support groups located in your area.
-Shop wisely. If you plan on being away from baby and will need to use a breast pump to express milk, select a research-based breast pump that has been demonstrated to mimic a baby's natural suckling pattern. Medela's 2-Phase Expression technology pumps, for example, allow for maximum milk flow by mimicking what a baby does naturally at the breast, giving moms more milk in less time.
HOW EVERYONE CAN HELP
In conjunction with the Olympics in August, the theme for Le Leche League in the USA 2008 World Breastfeeding Week Celebrations is Mother Support: Going for the Gold. Here is a great list of how everyone can help support breastfeeding mamas from the La Leche League in the USA:
You can "go for the gold" when you -
- give a mother the phone number of an LLL Leader.
- tell a first-time breastfeeding mother she is doing just fine.
- bring the new mother a nutrious snack and a big glass of water.
- as an employer, accommodate a mother's need to pump with a private comfortable space.
- as the baby's father, intercede with family and friends so that mother and baby can feel confident
- write to legislators to support the enactment of laws supporting paid maternity leave and mother-friendly workplaces.
- contact an emergency relief organization and request training to help in emergency situations, especially in breastfeeding support.
- take care of your health and nutritional needs during pregnancy and lactation.
- set up or join a network of lactation experts in your community.
- provide transportation to a mother to attend an LLL meeting or visit a lactation consultant.
- advocate for legislation that enacts the provisions of the WHO/UNICEF Code of Marketing.
- ask for support and offer support to others.
For more information on World Breastfeeding Week visit: http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org
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