Breastfeeding video

I saw this video on breastfeeding today on MSNBC.

I liked hearing how mothers aren't at fault if they don't breastfeed because so much is stacked against them, from work not permitting time to pump to hospitals that give formula even when the mother intends to breastfeed - but we as a society have to help new mothers in the beginning and give them the support they need. I'd like to say that this statement is true in general, not just regarding breastfeeding!

Goodsearch & Goodshop for Open Arms

$5,000 GoodSearch Giveaway - Three Days Only!

GoodSearch will donate a $1 for every toolbar that is downloaded between April 6th at 9am Eastern and April 9th at 9am Eastern up to $5,000!! Please download the toolbar right now by following this link.

Get the Goodsearch/Goodshop toolbar

Our new Open Arms Perinatal Services toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for our cause every time you search or shop online! Once added to IE or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to Open Arms - at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!). The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to Open Arms.

Please hurry and do this now so that we can earn the $1 bonus per toolbar!

And, please pass this along to all of your friends. The two minutes it takes to add this toolbar to your browser can make a lifetime of difference for birthing women in the Seattle area.

thanks!

And by the way, if you have Windows 7, I've found that you have to restart IE in order to get it to show up. That frustrated me for a while. It's a pretty good search engine and it automatically sends the donations to us when you shop at the stores - you don't have to remember about it. I've found quite a few stores I use donate to the charity of your choice through this, and it costs you nothing.

Thanks!

Breast-feeding could save lives, money

This MSNBC article from today shows the increased attention that breastfeeding is getting in the news.

Breast-feeding could save lives, money

The article says:

The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says(....)

The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia(...)

The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.

The article ended by saying that women shouldn't be blamed if they don't breastfeed, and that hospitals often give formula to babies even if the mothers intend to breastfeed. It's good for everyone to realize that supporting mothers in breastfeeding is something that is good for mothers, babies and society in general.

To see how Washington state compares to the rest of the country (pretty well), take a look at the CDC's Breastfeeding Report Card for 2009.

In 2009, Open Arms had a 94% breastfeeding initiation rate among our clients. There are so many benefits to breastfeeding - benefits to mother and baby. I am glad to see national attention continue to focus on supporting breastfeeding.

Oh, and if we're talking about breastfeeding, I have to include this pitch for Milkmakers, a company started by Open Arms Board Member Emily Kane. Milkmakers was featured on The Doctors TV show today. Milkmakers provides cookies that support lactation. Go check them out. (And I can vouch for them - they are absolutely delicious).