NJBC would like to congratulate and commend each of the 7 (seven) NJ healthcare facilities.  All have achieved Baby-Friendly status.

• Inspira Medical Center Elmer, Elmer, NJ (03/12) 
• Capital Health Medical Center- Hopewell, Pennington, NJ (03/12)
  
• CentraState Medical Center, Freehold, NJ (10/12)
  
• Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ (10/12)
  
• Morristown Medical Center, Morriston, NJ (12/15)
• Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ (11/15)
• Southern Ocean Medical Center, Manahawkin, NJ (06/16) 

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program that was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1991 to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding. It recognizes and awards birthing facilities who successfully implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Becoming a Baby-Friendly facility is a comprehensive, detailed and thorough journey toward excellence in providing evidence-based, maternity care with the goal of achieving optimal infant feeding outcomes and mother/baby bonding. It compels facilities to examine, challenge and modify longstanding policies and procedures. It requires training and skill building among all levels of staff. It entails implementing audit processes to assure quality in all aspects of maternity care operations. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving all mothers the information, confidence, and skills necessary to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies or feeding formula safely, and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.

Author: Kay O’Keefe RN

We hear the same story over and over again. Women are shamed for breastfeeding in public, sometimes even while they’re wearing a cover. More often though the problem arises when a mother nurses her baby in public without a cover. A person may make an unnecessary and inappropriate comment or an employee at a place of business may ask a mom to excuse herself to a more private location to breastfeed or stop breastfeeding altogether. Once this happens, controversy ignites. Mothers host nurse-ins to exercise their rights, complaints are plastered all over social media and some businesses get a lot of bad publicity because they’ve asked a mom to stop nursing or to cover themselves while breastfeeding.

If you are a nursing mother who has breastfed without a cover, you may have experienced dirty looks or backlash yourself. If you aren’t and you’re wondering why a mom can’t just “cover up” there are several reasons a mother may not use a nursing cover. She may not own one or it may be too hot to add an extra layer. Sometimes babies just plain refuse to be covered and kick it off! Whatever the reason, a mother has the right to breastfeed in public. As the law in New Jersey clearly states:

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a mother shall be entitled to breast feed her baby in any location of a place of public accommodation, resort or amusement wherein the mother is otherwise permitted. (N.J.S.A. 26:4B-4)

So what can we do to help normalize breastfeeding in the public eye?

• Breastfeed in public.

Pretty simple, right? Use a cover or don’t, it’s totally up to you! The more moms don’t duck out of the public eye to feed their babies, the more comfortable men, women and children will become with breastfeeding in general. The fewer incidences will occur.

• Business owners educate their employees.

If you’re a business owner, you should make sure your employees know the law. Post the law clearly, add it to your employee handbook and make sure it is a subject included during the new hire orientation process.

• If you’re a breastfeeding advocate, IBCLC or counselor, share the law.

Everybody spread the word! Sometimes moms don’t know their rights. Make sure your clients and friends are aware that breastfeeding without a cover is legal and not considered public nudity.

• If you are approached, stay calm and confident and know that the law is on your side.

You may feel embarrassed or ashamed when someone tells you to cover up. It may make you angry and compelled to lash out but that could make things worse. Remember that it is completely legal and within your right to breastfeed no matter where you are in New Jersey. Staying calm is key. The New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition provides cards with the law printed clearly. Carry one in your pocket and present it every time someone approaches you.

Post written by by Gina Guariglia Kelly, Breastfeeding USA Counselor and Breastfeeding Mom

If you have a good sense of humor and appreciate sarcasm, please take a look at this video:

 

Everyone told me breastfeeding my second would be a piece of cake. I figured that was true. Not only did I have two years of breastfeeding experience behind me but I’m also a Breastfeeding Counselor at Breastfeeding USA (1). I loved nursing my first and expected things to go smoothly this time around too.

Nursing my first child, Reagan, was one of the only things that made sense during those first early months when motherhood and parenting is brand new and everything feels overwhelming. She was an extremely difficult infant, also known as a “high needs” baby (difficult sounds more accurate to me), but breastfeeding her was so easy. Since I had an unplanned cesarean delivery that included many of the medical interventions I had hoped to avoid, I felt the the odds were stacked against us. When she was born she latched right on like a pro though, even if it was a good twelve hours after the delivery. A story I will save for another time (2). I’m still breastfeeding her THREE years later!

So I knew what I was doing or so I thought. This past November we welcomed Grayson into our family. I had my ideal birth, an unmedicated VBAC, at my local hospital. As soon as Grayson entered this world, I put him skin to skin. I knew this skin to skin contact would help him transition from his life in the womb. Research shows that skin to skin contact help an infant regulate their temperature, heart rate and breathing, plus it puts him “in the kitchen” to promote good feeding (3). Grayson latched on as expected but I could see right away that his tongue was restricted in movement; he was incapable of extending or lifting his tongue properly and I could see the ligament restrictions under his tongue and under his upper lip. He was unable to keep the upper lip flanged out, flipped out like a fish, at the breast. I suspected he had a tongue tie and upper lip tie. My pediatrician and the Lactation Consultant at the hospital told me there was no reason to get his ties clipped as long as he was gaining weight appropriately and it wasn’t painful. I never experienced pain and he was back to his birth weight by the fourth day (typically all babies lose weight after birth and we expect them to regain their birthweight by day ten or two weeks of age), so on I nursed.

By Grayson’s third week, his behavior changed dramatically. He screamed all of the time. There was absolutely no way to calm him down. At his one month checkup, my husband and I were looking for answers. I briefly mentioned my terrible oversupply issue to our pediatrician. Grayson often coughed, choked and sputtered at the breast. He also appeared to pull off and reposition himself frequently at the breast, as if managing my milk flow. That along with his fussy and gassy behavior, had me thinking that I was dealing with an oversupply. I did not have the same issues with Reagan but perhaps she was just able to handle the forceful milk ejection reflex and oversupply more easily than Grayson. After all, every baby is different. My pediatrician didn’t feel my milk ejection reflex or supply was the problem. She believed his behavior may be related to a milk protein allergy and that I should avoid all dairy consumption. I was glad to do this and hoped that this elimination would provide Grayson some relief.

Two weeks later, we were back at the doctor’s office where I met with my pediatrician and a Lactation Consultant. Nothing had changed. This time around reflux was suspected and we were given a prescription for reflux medication. We were warned that if this didn’t work, we may have to put Grayson on formula because he could be allergic to my milk. I was actually told that formula might be the answer several times during that visit. I broke down; I felt unsupported and lost. I loved breastfeeding and after being told by my health care providers that my milk may have been the cause, I felt terrible. Listening to the constant screams of our son, my husband was so eager to immediately try the formula as suggested. I was not convinced though. I wanted more help.

I decided to call a local International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, an IBCLC (4). The consultant helped me put the pieces of the puzzle together:

• My milk ejection reflex was fast and furious and he was drinking from the fountain. This is why weight gain was never an issue. We suspected that the large lactose load at the beginning of the feeding, related to my suspected oversupply, may have been irritating the baby’s gut.
• The tongue and upper lip tie that I suspected from birth may be also be contributing to his fussiness and nursing behavior.

A local health care provider revised Grayson’s tongue tie and upper lip, a laser revision (5). I started to block feed, which is feeding from one side for several hours (It is important to note this was under the care of my IBCLC. Block feedings should only be considered when appropriate under the care of a provider, since it can negatively affect supply if done unnecessarily or inappropriately). A week later, he stopped screaming and was a much happier baby. He is no longer in pain and can nurse effectively.

I learned that every single breastfeeding journey is different. Assuming that you’ll have it easy or hard the second time around because that’s what you experienced with your first baby isn’t always the case. By following your instincts and seeking the right support, you have a better chance of meeting your own breastfeeding goals and having a successful journey.

1. For more information about Breastfeeding USA or information on how to become a Breastfeeding Counselor with Breastfeeding USA, please click HERE
2. The NJ Hospital Regulations require all hospitals to promote skin to skin care, no separation or mother and baby, feeding at breast within the first hour of life, and milk expression within the first 4 hours of life if mom and baby are separated for medical reasons. You can find more information on the NJ Hospital regulations, including information on how to file a complaint, HERE.
3. You can learn more about skin to skin HERE on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org site.
4. You can find a list of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and other lactation services available in NJ by visiting Zipmilk.org.
5. A NJ preferred provider list for tongue tie/upper lip tie revisions can be found HERE.

Post written by by Gina Guariglia Kelly, CLC and Breastfeeding Mom