Here's an alt tag for the image: Two teaspoon measuring spoon and blue ball.

Dear Parents, Did You Know Just 2 Teaspoons Of Supplementation Can Protect Your Baby And Your Breastfeeding Journey?*

December 12, 2019May 7, 20241 Comment

Written by Jody Segrave-Daly, RN, IBCLC and Lynnette Hafken, MA, IBCLC

There have now been six studies showing that in some infants, a little bit of supplementation with two teaspoons (10 mL) of formula or donor breast milk after nursing had no effect on long-term breastfeeding. One study showed it prevented hospital readmissions in all of the supplemented newborns. Another showed it actually helped breastfeeding!

Why aren’t medical and lactation professionals recommending this intervention?

Many medical and lactation professionals believe that a tiny amount of formula will contaminate the baby’s gut, causing lifelong health problems. They refuse to admit that formula supplementation can be helpful, and they have baseless concerns that temporary formula supplementation will become routine for all babies. According to Baby-Friendly USA, “donor [breast] milk takes the fight out of this.” What they mean is that the few babies who are born in a hospital with donor milk can be fully fed, while the vast majority of babies who are born in hospitals without donor milk just have to tolerate hunger and thirst so as to avoid a few teaspoons of formula.

Did you know two teaspoons of formula or donor milk has seven calories?

Continue reading →

Pregnant woman brushing teeth in bathroom.

3 Harmful Dental Myths For Pregnant and Nursing Women

December 1, 2019August 30, 2023Leave a comment

Dr. Amanda Tavoularis – dentably.com

There’s a lot of information out there for pregnant and breastfeeding women, but unfortunately, not all of it is good. Oral health and visiting the dentist is one such area where there is a lot of misinformation. It’s not only frustrating to be told a dental myth, but it can also be harmful if you don’t recognize the truth behind it. I’ve practiced dentistry for over 20 years, so I’ve heard my share of dental myths and have worked to help spread good information. I’ve put together the top myths I hear pregnant and nursing women being told and hopefully can add some good information that will help women make informed decisions with their dental health. The end goal is to keep your mouth healthy, while also having a safe pregnancy and practicing safe breastfeeding. Continue reading →

Tweet criticizing "Fed is Best" organization.

Lies, Slander And Lack Of Accountability By Lactation Consultant Serena Meyer

November 25, 2019May 7, 2024Leave a comment

Dear Serena Meyer, RN, IBCLC:

Your post has made unsubstantiated accusations and we would like to respond with the truth. Please start by reading our actual statements and the science we present, which can be found in our FAQs. [Note: since Ms. Meyers has now edited her original post and deleted over 200 comments, screenshots of the post are included below.]

You (Serena Meyer) wrote:

Have you heard about Fed is Best? It’s an organization that believes that breastfeeding essentially starves babies, there is a lot of vitriol about breastfeeding and brain damage and death. It makes me feel pretty argumentative.

Every statement issued by the Foundation is cited. We rely on scientific evidence, not “belief.” We have never said breastfeeding starves babies; we have provided factual educational information that exclusive breastfeeding with insufficient supply or transfer can lead to acute and/or prolonged starvation. “Starvation” is a medical diagnosis, not “vitriol” or fear-mongering. Continue reading →

Baby-Friendly: Failure and the Art of Misdirection

November 20, 2019May 7, 20241 Comment

By Alex Fischer, PhD Candidate, Brooke Orosz, PhD, Jody Segrave-Daly, RN, IBCLC, Lynnette Hafken, MA, IBCLC and Christie Del Castillo-Hegyi, M.D.

Any good magician will tell you that the secret to their trade is misdirection—making the audience look one way while doing something the other way. And even knowing this, most of us are still baffled by a magician’s tricks. So it’s no wonder that Baby-Friendly USA (BFUSA) has tried to employ that same tactic in their statement titled “Fact vs FIB: The Impact of Baby-Friendly on Breastfeeding Initiation Rates.” In this statement written by an anonymous author representing BFUSA, they attempt to dispute the findings of a recent study published in Journal of Pediatrics, “Outcomes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2018 Breastfeeding Report Card: Public Policy Implications” by Bass et al. This study examines the impact of statewide breastfeeding initiation rates as well as the impact of BFHI facilities on continued breastfeeding after hospital discharge (exclusive or combination). The Fed is Best Foundation read this study and agreed: “Baby-Friendly does not work.” These five words are the instigators of the entire statement by BFUSA and its misrepresentation of a very robust scientific study. Continue reading →

Nurses Quit Because Of Horrific Experiences Working In Baby-Friendly Hospitals

November 14, 2019May 7, 20241 Comment

Photo Credit: Victorian Agency for Health Information

We regularly receive messages from nurses, physicians, LCs, and other health professionals. They express their concerns while asking for help and patient resources. They tell us their stories and they need support and direction on what to do about unethical and dangerous policies they are forced to practice. We collected their stories and are beginning a blog series of health professionals who are now speaking out about the Baby-Friendly Health Initiative and the WHO Ten Steps of Breastfeeding.

Dianna Talter, Pediatric Emergency Department Nurse

I am a pediatric emergency department nurse traveler and sometimes, I worked on the mother-baby unit. I will never work on a mother-baby unit again because of the terrible conditions that mothers and babies are forced to endure because of the “Baby-Friendly” (BFHI) protocol!