Happy WBW!
Check out the official World Breastfeeding Week website. This year’s theme? Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response
Scroll to the bottom of the WBW site to see the the winners of the photo contest, showing nursing in the midst of emergency situations. Really moving.
And from the TG archives: Breastfeeding
“I have long operated on the premise that the Bible and nature can be reconciled and that neither will lie to us. If they appear to contradict each other, either our interpretation of the Bible is false or the conclusions we draw from nature are false.
“For example, there are folks out there who believe that the Bible’s teachings on parenting contradict the needs that our children naturally and biologically require. . .”
Read the rest of A Godly Symbiosis here.
I recommend all Christian parents read the above article in full.
And for more glimpses into God’s amazing design:
How Does Milk Production Work?
Mommies, Babies, and Chemistry
.
This post is part of the Ezzo Week(end) 2009 series, raising awareness about the concerns with the parenting “philosophy” promoted by Gary Ezzo.
I know a lot of y’all are both avid photographers and avid breastfeeding supporters. Combine those passions and participate in the WBW 2008 photo contest! Deadline February 29, 2008. Details here.
What are we looking for?
We need stories that illustrate support for breastfeeding. We are looking for any photo that TELLS A STORY of support. It may be a who, a what or a where! You may be the person who provided the support or the person who received the support.
Illustrate the kind of support you provided or that you received in a photo. When taking photos, think globally and locally! We encourage you to submit photos that reflect different ethnicity and that include breastfeeding children, from a newborn to a child of 2 years or more. Support takes place in different environments, so the support you illustrate may be in a home, in a museum, in a marketplace or in a field.
(Note: I don’t know the photographer of the above picture, neither do I know where I found it to give proper credit. If you do see it elsewhere online with credit to the photographer, please let me know so proper attribution can be given. Thanks!)
Join in encouraging mamas and promoting breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week! Unlike years past, I won’t be posting daily on this topic, but I know that Kristen and the Lactivist and others will be. Or follow the WBW news to see what is going on around the world or in your neighborhood.
World Breastfeeding Week is quickly approaching. I’ve already seen other mothers, bloggers, lactivists posting about WBW–now is the time to start planning how you will be involved, in your local community or online.
Need ideas?
Caption contest at The Lactivist.
New Zealand Sponsored World Wide Latch-On
Why Aren’t Black Mother Breastfeeding?
WBW Photo Contest (Not the official one.)
The “official” WBW Photo Contest
Arte de Leche Exhibition This looks so cool–I wanna go!
Here at TulipGirl, we’ll have a week of posts and links and art for World Breastfeeding Week 2007, as we have in years past. Our little part to encourage breastfeeding mamas.
“Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me.” Psalm 22:9-11
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Isaiah 49:15,16
“For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.” For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:11-13
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Isaiah 49:15,16
“But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.” Psalm 131:2,3
“But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7,8
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11
Be encouraged. God who has given us our children, has given us also means to physically nourish them and spiritually nurture them. We may lean into Him, each moment of each imperfect day.
For more mommy-inspiration, check out Parenting Freedom.
This post concludes our World Breastfeeding Week 2006 series.
More people are blogging in support of World Breastfeeding Week and mamas and babies around the world.
August 5:
Echo of Love
Misplaced Mama
No Such Thing
Color Me Red
Five Minutes for Mom
This Classical Life
Life With An Axe
Jo’s Cafe
(Another) Day in the Life
Confessions of a Political Junkie
August 6:
Nursing Two
Arch Words
And Then There Were Four
Girl from FL
Blogging Baby Malcolm
Mommy @ Home
Oddly Complete
Jihad of a Woman
Only the Best
Hannah
Rinsed With Gold
MomSquawk
August 7:
Blog on Breast
Charity Grace
Rambling Moo
This Classical Life
Gaggle of Girls
Love Never Fails
liminal musings
This post is part of a World Breastfeeding Week 2006 series.
Over the past several years, I’ve shared some of the examples of breastfeeding art that have moved me.
Now I’ve found a website that is combination art history and lactivism:
Breastfeeding Art. I especially like the timeline.
This post is part of a World Breastfeeding Week 2006 series.
Here are some blogs who are sharing thoughts on breastfeeding, in support of World Breastfeeding Week 2006.
August 3:
MereMortal Mom
Mountain Mama
Angelic Momma
Out of Cute
This Classical Life
PonderFool
SweetPea
Green Goddess
Celebrity Baby Blog
Mary Ann Liebert **Academic papers! Interesting. . .
PickleBums
Bin and Mitch
Geek in Your Country
Mama’s Village
In The Agora **Sadly, not that supportive
This Side of Somewhere
Orlando Sentinal Blog
And She Calls Me Mommy
NeoBean
My Journey
Eric’s Blog-O-Rama
Squirrel Stories **Kudos for a great blog post title
BlogCritics
Tracker
August 4:
Living a Full Life
Life Story (Indonesia)
Debra Kloskey
Perfect Mom
Blue Door
Suicide Girls
Where It’s At
Charity Grace
This Classical Life
Blonde Mom Blog **Another With A Great Post Title
The Politicker
Mama Life
Rantings of a SAHM
Oh, Baby
mooshoopork
vwsistah
This post is part of a World Breastfeeding Week 2006 series.
John Calvin, in commenting upon Genesis 21:7 states:
“. . .the Lord does not in vain prepare nutriment for children in their mothers’ bosoms, before they are born.
But those on whom he confers the honor of mothers, he, in this way, constitutes nurses; and they who deem it a hardship to nourish their own offspring, break, as far as they are able, the sacred bond of nature.
If disease, or anything of that kind, is the hindrance, they have a just excuse; but for mothers voluntarily, and for their own pleasure, to avoid the trouble of nursing, and thus to make themselves only half-mothers, is a shameful corruption.”
(Posted on TulipGirl in December 2005. Found quote via Pastor Lane)
This post is part of a World Breastfeeding Week 2006 series.
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action has chosen the theme of Code Watch: 25 Years of Protecting Breastfeeding for this year’s August 1-7 World Breastfeeding Week.
By the term Code Watch, they are referring to the 1981 International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which was designed to limit the undermining of breastfeeding through advertising.
As in years past, I’ll be posting this week in support of breastfeeding. Just my little online contribution to World Breastfeeding Week. If you are posting about breastfeeding, too, let me know!
So, hooray for all those who are blogging on breastfeeding for WBW!
August 1st:
This Classical Life
Heart, Mind and Strength
Mom Squawk
The Marmot’s Hole (Korea)
Domestic Psychology
BurmaNet News
Belly Tales
Celebrity Baby Blog
Women’s Health News
Susan D’Arcy
Knitted in the Womb
IrwanIrah (Singapore)
And Baby Makes Four
Wired for Noise
Sazz (Australia)
Blogging Baby
Got Sophia
Mom’s Milk Anywhere
Footprints
dotMoms
Pieces of Us
MumSpotting (Singapore)
Basta
Crunch Mama
Cigar Theology
August 2nd:
No Such Thing
Charity Grace
Count It All Joy
View from the Prairie Box
Dorian Kaye
The Juggling Act
Birth Write
Amanda’s Blog
I’m a Geek in Your Country
Aurelia Ann
And the Seasons Go ‘Round
Confession Time
Dry Eraser Thoughts
Kitten Licks
Christi’s Blog
Blogging Kellan
What’s Hot for Tots
Plantain
“When DD3 pretends to be a Mommy, she is a very good one. She rocks her babies, she sings to them, she snuggles them in a blanket. And then she says she needs a paci and a bottle. She has no memory of the hours I spent nursing her. She has no memory of seeing anyone nurse. Heck, she has no memory of seeing people do most of the things I did with her as an infant. . . .
I so want DD3 to grow up knowing that it is normal, natural, healthy, and God
Via an e-mail from Ted Greiner, breastfeeding advocate, I heard that the World Health Organization has updated its infant and child growth charts. Greiner says, “Based on careful studies of breastfed babies living under “ideal” conditions in several countries, WHO has determined that they grow at similar rates and that this growth pattern is the ideal one. Thus they have issued a series of new growth charts. . . The previous international ones were based on how largely bottle fed American babies grew.”
The new charts can be found here:
Child Growth Standards
WHO Child Growth Media Centre
Thanks to Lydia, Nathan’s Helpmeet, who has drawn my attention to the works of William Gouge–specifically his pages upon pages of reflection on the Bible and breastfeeding. Lydia quoted a passage on cry-it-out and breastfeeding, but the section below really stood out to me.
Among other needful things, the milk of the breast is fit for young babes, and with it they are to be nourished. I think none doubt of the equity of this. It hath in all ages, and in all countries, been accounted the best food that can be for young babes. The metaphor, which S. Peter useth, taken from young infants [in the words, As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2)] confirmeth as much. So doth also the desire which such infants have to the milk of the breasts: and the ability, and promptness which is in them to suck: and God’s providence in causing a woman’s breasts to yield forth such milk: and the constant manner of nourishing little infants after this manner, commended in the Scripture: and [to conclude] the natural instinct which many unreasonable creatures have thus to nourish their young ones.
. . .
God hath given to women two breasts fit to contain and hold milk: and nipples unto them fit to have milk drawn from them. Why are these thus given? to lay them forth for ostentation? There is no warrant for that in all God’s word. They are directly given for the child’s food that cometh out of the womb; for till the child be born, there is no milk in the breasts: anon after it is born, milk ordinarily floweth into the breasts: yea a great part of the meat which they eat turneth into milk. They make this admirable work of God’s providence to be in vain, that dry up this spring, and suffer not their children to partake of the benefits of it.
–William Gouge, On Domestical Duties
Related:
Martin Luther: Theologian and Cloth Diaper Advocate
John Calvin: Theologian and Lactivist
Breastfeeding and the Bible
Ezzo discusses “trade-offs” with Babywise:
“We wish everything in this book worked perfectly for each mom/baby combination when it comes to lactation.
“…in parenting there will always be tradeoffs…while most moms can [breastfeed longterm*] with Babywise, we recognize not all moms can because no philosophy comes without trade-offs.”
– Babywise, pp. 63, 64
* while “longterm” is not defined, Babywise says mothers using the program breastfeed for just over 8 months on average.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a minimum of one year of breastfeeding.
(Via Ezzo.Info)
Related Tags: GFI / Ezzo / Babywise, Babywise, Gary Ezzo, Ezzo.Info, Christian Parenting, Breastfeeding, American Academy of Pediatrics
I made the short list on The Lactivist blogroll! Thanks, Jennifer!
And in recognition of that, here are some of my favorite writings on breastfeeding:
The Original Noonie Page
A Few Of My Favorite Things 2005, 2004
Play Ball! (Militant Breastfeeding Cult)
Breastfeeding and Babywise: The Realities, The Practicalities
Contented Cows Give Sweet Milk
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Now observe that when that clever harlot, our natural reason… , takes a look at married life, she turns up her nose and says, “Alas, must I rock the baby, wash its diapers, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and sores… ?
What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. It says, O God, because I am certain that thou hast created me as a man and hast from my body begotten this child, I also know for a certainty that it meets with thy perfect pleasure. I confess to thee that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or wash its diapers, or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I, without any merit, have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? O how gladly will I do so, though the duties should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor, will distress or dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight…
God, with all his angels and creatures is smiling–not because the father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith.
Last week we read of John Calvin’s breastfeeding advocacy. I’m beginning to wonder if this is going to turn into a series on Great Theologians and Attachment Parenting?
