The Yoga of Breastfeeding

Not only are our breasts contorted every which way while breastfeeding an active child but we are sacrificing a part of ourselves for the sake of our child’s health and wellness…  I view this as a type of Karma Yoga.

Sitting in one spot has never been easy for me, during my yoga teacher training we did meditation for about 20 min, 2 times a day. Each session brought different challenges but after spending a day of asana practice, karma yoga, philosophy classes, anatomy etc… sitting quietly to reflect on that day and my life felt wonderful. Being in an ashram is a great experience, i found that being able to detach from the stresses of life going on outside and just deal with the duties I had in the ashram was very relaxing and fruitful.

Fast forward to over 3 years later, when I had my son. Although i loved to snuggle with him, the first couple of days, weeks and months sitting in one chair with your babe in hand, breastfeeding pillow in lap and boobs out didn’t feel very relaxing. In the first week especially, I was doing something I had never done before and although a latch shouldn’t feel painful it’s not comfortable at first. Initially, Babe can take almost an hour at the breast but friends assured me he would get more efficient and he did. I am a mover; always considering what needs to be done next; cleaning the bathroom, throwing a load of laundry in, cooking… Without Swamiji in front of me and the energy of my meditating classmates surrounding me, I felt very restless…

I had a friend mention something about meditation when she was breastfeeding and immediately i felt the idea was strange, the yoga snob inside me said that it was not proper meditation. Like almost every child, my son didn’t sleep when I wanted him to and always wanted to breastfeed at times that weren’t convenient for me. I found that if I consciously connected with my breath; took a deep inhalation for about 4 counts and exhaled equally, it not only calmed my mind but either put my son to sleep if he needed it or seemed to calm him down. Therefore, It was meditative I could either close my eyes or focus on him. It’s regular, it feels spiritual, positive and I realize my purpose in that place at that time; to feed and love my child.

My son is almost 2.5 and I am proud to say I still breastfeed. I know it’s not something every mother is able or willing to do and that’s okay, it doesn’t mean you love your child less or more. Honestly, i had hoped to go for 2 years as recommended by a naturopath, I wouldn’t be against stoping now but my son won’t have it at the moment so I continue because I know it is still beneficial for both of us. Maybe you think I am a crazy hippie but if so, ask yourself why you think that and/or if you feel uncomfortable with the idea of extended breastfeeding, why?

In my experience people scoff at the idea of extended breast feeding because they don’t understand it. For some reason it is more logical in our culture to let our toddlers drink sugary juice and soda rather than let them continue to breast feed if they choose… does that seem healthy? Education about breast feeding is not widely distributed; parents, relatives and even some peers don’t have the proper info. Don’t worry grandparents, your grandchild will not want to breast feed through college or become unnaturally attached to mommy. A breast feeding mom and child needs to feel SUPPORTED by family and friends!

Here are some things you may not know about breastfeeding:

1) Breast milk is unique to each baby and it changes! When a baby is less than a week old the breast contains colostrum (before the milk comes in), it’s a thick yellowish fluid that is high in protein and contains antibodies, protecting baby from disease.  If the weather is hot a mothers breast milk will change to have more water to quench babies thirst. If the weather is cold the breast milk will often be more fatty and so on. Human breast milk is beneficial to all human babies so this doesn’t mean that if a mother is unable to breastfeed she can’t use a close relative or friends extra milk or get it from a milk bank.

2) Breast milk is complex and protective; because it is always changing it is difficult to study exactly what the levels of nutrients are but there are studies currently researching how colostrum and breast milk protect and heal the lining of of babies intestines (1). The nutrients in breast milk are also very bioavailable to baby. If mama has a healthy diet and is overall healthy the nutrients are very available and useable for baby, yes that even includes iron! Obviously, breast milk continues to contain bacteria that is beneficial for babes gut and therefore digestive system.

3) Breast milk has a unique scent; when my son was born at home with the assistance of registered midwives, they recommended that both baby and I wait at least a couple of days to shower. They explained, one reason for this is that the scent of the amniotic fluid still covering baby helps him to recognize and sniff out breast milk. My son can find my breast in the dark with his eyes closed, he will now latch on perfectly without any visual cue.

4) Breast milk is a cure all; diaper rash, cuts, baby acne, ear infections, babes stuffy nose, tummy troubles, nipple irritation etc… squeeze a bit of breast milk in the effected area and it’s the best healer possible, with properties that work like an antibiotic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic.

5) Breast milk poop doesn’t stink; self explanatory…

6) Breast milk fights cancer; here’s one of the reasons i can (sort of) convince my family that extended breastfeeding is a good idea. It reduces my chances (mothers) of Breast and Uterine cancer, i can attest to this first hand! Prior to having my son I had tested for mild pre cancerous cells in my uterus. My past 2 years of breastfeeding I have been completely clear of them!!! (I had to get tested every 6 months)

7) BREAST MILK is MAGIC! For all the reasons stated and much more.

Therefore, breast feeding is natural and effective. It is not always easy and unfortunately not always possible, although there is not a high percentage of women who can’t actually breast feed and it is very dependant on baby’s birth process and support given. If the labor and delivery are natural and normal baby should be skin to skin ASAP! Feeding should begin soon after if there are no complications. As a Birth Doula I usually always see baby initiate feeding within the first hour by moving their little tongue and lips. If it’s not possible for skin to skin or to breast feed soon after birth manual expression within the first hour (see the Marmet Technique) gathered by a syringe and fed to baby is also a good way to establish milk and feed baby . It’s supply and demand so the more a baby is nursed the more milk is produced. Needless to say, I am not personally a fan of timing out babies feeding (ie. every 2 hours) each baby is different just like us, they should eat when they are hungry, DON’T LOOK AT THE CLOCK LOOK AT YOUR BABY.

ALSO, BABIES NURSE FOR MANY REASONS OTHER THAN HUNGER! baby loves the feeling of security, the sound of Mama’s heartbeat and the bonding that comes with this experience. Imagine yourself being introduced into a whole different universe and having a close reliable body that you know as opposed to a rocking chair to bounce in no matter how soft it feels. Kangaroo care (skin to skin/ or carrier/slings) establishes babies heart rate, breathing cycles, keeps them naturally warm and properly fed.

In my Yoga Teacher training manual it notes, ‘Karma Yoga can be practiced at all times, under all conditions, anywhere there is a desire to do a selfless service‘…. As can Breastfeeding! This is an awesome poem with that idea in mind:) 

We have many misconceptions about breastfeeding and even your family doctor may not be aware of recent research and how to solve breast feeding issues. Mothers are often convinced that a little suplimentation (ie. commerical formula) is a good idea even if you breast feed full time, why not right? We want our babies to have the best and most nutrients. BUT, formula is a product, and often if you check the label includes the same ingredients you may find in a package of hair color. If needed, it can be used as medicine but I don’t recommend stocking up prior to baby being born just in case. Babies who are formula feed are more susceptible to gas and bloating and therefore have a harder times sleeping and feeling comfortable. One can also find some great recipes for formula (DIY) in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions.

There are some pretty awesome resources to help with breastfeeding, here are a few:

http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/

ABC Breastfeeding support (calgary)

La Leche league

Sources

(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5688590/Breast-feeding-protects-babies-from-stomach-damage-study-finds.html)

January 2010, La Leche League International: Establishing your milk

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 7th edition; La leche league international

http://www.normalfeed.com; Feeding the baby

Skin to Skin and Kangaroo Mother Care; Studies by Dr. Nils Bergman and Agneta Jurisoo (Midwife)

Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Manual

Actual Immunity

I don’t believe it is my place as a citizen, parent, friend or family member to tell you to get your family flu vaccinations or not. I think it is a wonderful thing that this is still a choice, it is a personal decision that should be researched on both sides and discussed with a trusted health practitioner. This is NOT a debate on either decision, as parents no matter what your choice has been you are doing it for the health of your child and community. I know people who are herbalists, engineers, yoga teachers, doctors, nurses and bio chemists who have vaccinated and have done their research. On the other hand I also know people who have their PHD’s in biochemistry, teachers, olympic athletes, chiropractors and health & wellness experts who have not vaccinated their children, they are not simply following some celebrity advice and they have read actual books (not just taken 30 min to browse the net) and spoken to real doctors. I tip my hat to all of those who have made informed decisions to come to the best conclusion for their families.

That being said what i do want to address here is that fact that I continuously hear health officials and politicians urging citizens to get vaccinated this ‘flu season’. Is this the only way we should/we can build our immunity? Does this sacred needle give me immunity as if I was on an episode of survivor? Just because I get this ‘immunization’ am I free to do/eat/drink whatever the heck I want? I am sure you are all smart enough to realize the answer to these questions…

Ah, the holiday season! A time to bake cookies, eat chocolate and stuff our children full of sugary candy canes. Wait a minute! Could this be one of the main causes of the ‘flu season’? But what about our traditions? You can’t have Christmas without sugar? Can you? Can you potentially put some honey or even maple syrup in your cookies instead? Maybe:)

Here is the thing that a lot of people seem to need to be reminded about; refined Sugar is a drug, it is addictive and it basically causes your white blood cells and macrophages (the big eaters) to react like Johnny Depp in Fear and loathing in Las vegas when he took too many drugs and tried to walk on that trippy carpet into the casino. When viruses and bacteria are introduced to our bodies our hero’s are too busy trippin’ out on sugar. And guess what, it does the same number on your children’s immune system. That is a very basic explanation and really just the tip of the iceberg. Refined sugar effects our whole body pretty negatively.

Just try to work sugar out of your diet and see how you feel; headaches, shakes, and total lack of focus. Imagine how a toddler feels with then without it. I know it is not easy to keep sugar away from your children, loving relatives want to make them happy, grandparents say, ‘it won’t kill them.’ Well, actually it can… and slowly.

So instead of us getting emotional and angry about people who do or don’t vaccinate, instead of staying at home in fear of going out and getting sick, instead of blaming other people we need to (especially as parents) step up and take responsibility for ourselves and our children. Get the refined sugar out of our cooking and cupboards! Sugar is NOT a holiday tradition, being amongst good family and friends with a healthy home cooked meal can be instead. Even ‘Santa’ doesn’t need sugary cookies… maybe he is the one spreading this ‘flu season’ around in the first place? He does come to everyones house to eat cookies, drink milk and drop off ‘presents;)’

All jokes aside, this is something that is very serious and totally controllable. I wanted to post this simply because i think it is basic common sense to stay away from all refined sugars, not easy though as we are constantly told how yummy sugary shit is. If you want to check out more resources on sugar, addiction and health I like; ‘Molecules of emotion’ by Candice Pert, Books, blogs and videos by Dr. Cate Shanahan, how toxic is sugar and Nourishing the Terrain are also a good read. It may take sometime to convince your children and their grandparents, but don’t give up and maybe use a different analogy then fear and loathing as they likely haven’t and shouldn’t have seen it 🙂 Once you draw a picture or create an animation for children to explain why sugar is bad for their bodies they have really great understanding and potentially memories of being sick and how to avoid the worst of it. There are various ways we can actually support our immune systems and getting a cold/flu about 2 times a year is normal and if dealt with properly can actually improve our immune systems. Our child’s eating habits begin before they are even born, so the best time to instil a healthy appetite for actual healthy real foods and to establish optimal gut bacteria and immunity is during pregnancy:) See this awesome video 🙂

Nutty Granola (I think that’s what they call me:) Wheat free, Dairy free… but definitely NOT nut free:)

Here is a recipe for a nutty granola that I experimented with and seems to go over well:) I originally saw this recipe posted by wellnessmama and added a few things;)

2 cups of Coconut shavings (larger than flakes if possible)

1.5 cups of nuts (I use cashews & Pecans)

0.5 cups of seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia)

2-3 tbsp coca nibs

2 tsp dried fruit (I use currents)

3-4 tbsp maple syrup

1-2 tbsp honey

1-2 tbsp coconut oil

0.5 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

a pinch of celtic sea salt

(optional)  1-2 cardamom pod seeds (you can pound out seeds with mortar and pestle)

(optional) 2 cloves and 0.5 star anise (Powdered)

Add more or less of the ingredients you prefer

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Melt the coconut oil and honey together on low heat if not already liquid. 

Combine all contents in a bowl add more honey or maple syrup if needed and spread onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min 

remove and cool, breaking it into pieces once at room temperature and store in airtight container. (Eat within 2 weeks)

This recipe also works without the Maple syrup, just add more honey

Calgary Flood Donation Drop Off Points and Wish Lists

Volunteer Calgary

We know that Calgarians are eager to help wherever they can, but according to Mayor Nenshi, the real need for volunteers is yet to come. We still have a big clean-up job ahead of us  and we will let you know when that time comes.

Volunteering update:Currently, the City of Calgary does not need volunteers. Check back for updates.

In the meantime, if you feel the need to help or live near one of these drop off locations and it is safe for you to get there, here are a few donation drop-off locations and wish lists for people wanting to contribute at this point in time.
Note: This blog is updated regularly

• NeighbourLink’s doors are open Monday June 24, they have a BIG donation coming in between noon and 2pm so please no donations at that time.  and accepting donations of water, blankets, food, formula, cleaning supplies, buckets, mops and products…

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For the #1 Bum

I did a lot of research about diapers before I even knew I was pregnant. I bought a couple of different Cloth diapers when I was pregnant and I am somewhat strangely attached to them… I tend to show them off whenever I get the chance and I am sure it seems quite odd. Here are some of the reasons why I love ’em:

Obviously the environmental impact, disposable diapers end up in landfills, the feces should be removed out of the disposable diapers before it is put in the trash but that is rarely done. Our landfills contain about 5 MILLION TONS of untreated human waste and that is a breading ground for disease that can potentially affect our groundwater.

Cloth diapers obviously need water to wash but disposable diapers create about 2.3 times more water waste in the production and 3.5 times more energy. -http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/dangers-of-disposable-diapers. It also takes about 1 cup of Crude oil to create the Polyethylene plastic in one disposable diaper!

‘Acrylic acid is an ingredient used to make a resin called sodium polyacrylate (also known as super absorbent polymer, or SAP), which is used in disposables to make them highly absorbent… Adverse reactions such as skin irritation and respiratory problems have also been linked to SAP. SAP has only been used in disposable diapers for the past 20 years, so its long-term health effects on babies are currently unknown.’   –http://www.examiner.com/article/chemical-plant-explosion-may-hinder-disposable-diaper-production

So why would we want our babies fragile skin to sit in disposable diapers potentially absorbing 50 different chemicals including bleach, dioxins, dyes, SAP and others I can’t even begin to spell or pronounce? I have heard my generation say, ‘Well I was diapered with disposables and I’m okay’. Yet we wonder why there is an increase in cancers, asthma, allergies and hormone problems. http://www.unacceptablelevels.com/

Cloth diapers are the past and the FUTURE! They are ‘in’ again and it makes me so happy… I know, it’s strange. Here are some tips and more reasons for my cloth diaper passion:)

My son at 11 months old has NEVER had a diaper rash! When he was teething he got a lil’ red spot one day but it was healed with breast milk within hours. We have also never had a diaper ‘Blow-out’ and believe me this baby can poop! A couple of leaks from heavy nighttime pees yes, but disposables also leak.

There are a wonderful variety of diapers to choose from, wait until your baby is a couple months old before buying a whole wack of them as the fit will be different for each child. Here are some of the diapers I have tried:

BUMMIES – www.bummis.com– very good, simple-ish… especially in the first couple of months when baby doesn’t do the hokey pokey every time you change him/her 😉 Folding required!

APPLE CHEEKS -www.applecheeks.com– These are pretty good and Canadian made, the wonderful thing is that you don’t have to touch the insert as it agitates out in the washer…. and they are super cute!!! We find they don’t fit our son as good as some of the others unfortunately.

OMAIKI – www.omaiki.com – These are so very cute and Canadian as well. My son has figured out how to open the velcro and it will chafe on his skin at times. BUT i have recently found the snap ups and I am impressed:-)

MOTHEREASE – www.mother-ease.com– very soft on the skin, easy to use and i think will be great for potty training as the child can feel when they are wet. We have the bamboo/ organic cotton and they are super absorbant. I have never had a leak with these (+ a diaper cover of course)

SUSTAINABLE BABYISH- www.sloomb.com– I love these for nighttimes!!! I need more:-)

BUMGENIUS –www.bumgenius.com–  Probably my favorite as they are supposed to fit from beginning to the end of diapering, they are very easy to use and very absorbant, they keep my son feeling dry even when they are soaked. We have the One size pocket diapers, the ALL-IN-ONE is okay but takes longer to dry.

Most of these diapers are a bit pricy at first but it’s worth it! You don’t have to keep buying diapers and you can use them on more than one child or you can sell them on Kijiji!

Some parents are turned off cloth diapers because they purchase a whole bunch of bad ones at once, there are bad ones out there!!!

We are a family on a pretty strick budget therefore we don’t and didn’t buy a whole bunch of ‘baby’ stuff or decorate a room all ‘baby’… we spend money on the essentials use hand-me-downs try to reduce the   ‘junk’. Things like healthy food, cloth diapers, handmade mattresses (more on that another day) and a baby chariot were/are what we spend our hard earned moula on;)

I wash my diapers with NELLIES laundry detergent and I strip them with ROCKINGREEN http://www.rockingreensoap.com I sun dry them when possible as it is the best way to ‘bleach’ them. We have a bin with a charcoal filter that we keep the used diapers in, it keeps the smell at bay;) and I wash them every 2 days. I have cut my drying time in HALF by making 3 wool dryer balls… http://www.ehow.com/how_5151381_make-wool-dryer-balls.html or you can buy them http://www.ulat.ca/

‘Babes in Arms‘ is where I got most of my supplies and attended a class on cloth diapering  http://www.babesinarms.ca/

I encourage parents to try out some good diapers, you can even find ones that are new or used on Kijiji. You can also use a Diaper service which can be great and convenient!

Made to Mom….

Here is an article I wrote that was published in Birthing Magazine Summer/ Fall 2012:

The moment I found out I was pregnant I filled out online applications for all of the midwife clinics in calgary, we were in India visiting with my husbands family at the time. It was a bit of a surprise but I had been ‘researching’ birth for over a year, I am a practicing herbalist and was going to apply for the midwife program at Mount Royal in the Fall of 2011. Plans changed drastically but this was going to be the best introduction to the profession. I was very excited and a bit scared.

When I told my family and friends we had midwife most of them hadn’t had much experience or knowledge of the profession. Everyone was so afraid we were planning a home birth and we heard various horror stories of what can happen that a midwife may not be prepared for, we assured everyone we would go to the hospital. At first we were confident with the hospital idea, we rent the top floor of a house and there are tenants in the basement, i thought it may freak them out to know that i was delivering a baby upstairs. Someone did assure me that I was entitled to have my baby at home and I would be labouring there anyways. Around my sixth month we decided we would prefer the home birth but we would stay flexible, so we prepared ourselves for both hospital and home birth but only informing the people who needed to know.

I have always thought a little ‘outside the box’ in comparison to my family and friends so this was not the only controversial topic. My pregnancy was normal and uncomplicated so I decided there was no need for an ultra-sound unless I experienced problems. I don’t recommend this for everyone, I just instinctively felt we didn’t need one. This was one topic my mom agreed with me upon, when she was pregnant with me an ultrasound showed some strange results that caused a lot of unnecessary stress for her during her pregnancy. Some people made it very temping trying to persuade me to get the ultrasound so I can see my little one. I thought I was having a boy but when most people guessed a girl I was confused. The father is dark and I am white so would we have a zebra baby? We were positive the baby would have a lot of hair though.

‘Health Canada has established Guidelines for the Safe Use of Diagnostic Ultrasound. The Guidelines state that ultrasound should not be used for any of the following activities:

• to have a picture of the fetus, solely for non-medical reasons
• to learn the sex of the fetus, solely for non-medical reasons
• for commercial purposes, such as trade shows or producing pictures or videos of the fetus’

(http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/med/ultrasound-echographie-eng.php)

My husband and I practice and teach yoga and during my pregnancy all I felt like doing was a couple of relaxation postures and Yoga nidra or Savasana. We were gardening as a full time job during my first and second trimester so I was doing a lot of squatting as is. Some of my yoga friends told me about classmates who were these 6,7 or 8 months pregnant yogic warriors in full practice. I did visit an Ayurvedic doctor in India during my first month who told me to relax and let myself get a bit fatty. I suppose one ought to practice what they feel they can tolerate when they are pregnant, listening to our own bodies and the baby is especially important.

When I got to 38 weeks I bought an exercise ball and bounced on it as much as possible, I took larger doses of raspberry leaf tea and followed our wonderful midwives instructions. At 39 weeks I started to feel like I was getting my period and I looked kinda puffy. At 2:30 am on November 13, I woke up to what I figured were contractions. They weren’t too close together yet so I curled up next to the fireplace in the living room and tried to sleep through it. The body produces the best drugs and after each contraction I felt like someone was sprinkling sparkles over me which eventually put me back to sleep. I woke up that morning to my husband with me on the floor, cuddling me tightly. That day I made butternut squash soup that was way too spicy and thick for labour and I slowly paced around the house while my husband stood by. In the afternoon I thought I was in active labour so we called the midwife to check me. I was fully effaced, she could feel the head but I was only 1 cm dilated! She had some other clients to attend to, it was a really busy day for them, a full moon the night before. At 7pm we called again and the story was similar, I felt like I was probably 7 cm but I was 2…poo:( I was feeling a bit nauseous, the midwife gave me a little gravol so I could get some sleep. I slept intermittently as my husband, stayed by my side gently whispering ‘relax, relax,’ probably a useful mantra for both of us at the time. At 10pm I told him without so many words that he needed to call the midwife again, she arrived at about 10:15 and as she entered the room I felt the need to begin pushing. She could see at first glance that I was almost ready and she checked me then asked, ‘do you want the good news, or the good news.’ We were ready to go! As she checked for the heartbeat we had a moment or two where it couldn’t be detected but I felt like I knew the baby was ready, coming and okay. I am lucky, I pushed about 5 times and we saw the head crown. The cord was around the neck but it was lose and without a moment of stress the midwife gently unwrapped it and proceeded. I let out a large grunt and pushed ‘right into my bottom’ as directed by our midwife, she caught our baby and lay him on my chest at 10:45pm. My husband had tears in his eyes, I felt like a warrior and the baby was beautiful. It was after 10 minutes of us holding the baby that our midwife asked if we wanted to check the sex. It was a boy, he is healthy, happy the most wonderful creation I have ever accomplished. It was so natural to sleep in our own bed that night with our baby boy by our side, then to wake up in the morning and make breakfast together while chatting on Skype with our families in India and throughout North America. The basement tenants were surprised that I gave birth at home because they only heard me scream once and the baby’s initial cry.

I believe this positive birth story can and has already empowered pregnant woman to follow and trust their intuition. I am happy to say my friends and family were curious and overjoyed that our experience was so wonderful. It was not easy, labour is work not a vacation but it was all a bona fide experience I will forever cherish. I am truly blessed to have found my natural calling as mom.