February Posts That Inspire and Inform

I’ve been inspired. Dionna at Code Name Mama does a monthly love links post and this month she linked to one of my articles that discussed the semantics of the terms “full term” versus “extended” breastfeeding. Thanks Dionna! Months ago I did a post on links to some great breastfeeding posts, but nothing since. So I thought I should get back on it. Because there truly are some amazing, informative and inspirational posts out there, and posts that plants seeds can bloom into the most beautiful of gardens.

Let’s start with the post that really knocked my socks off this month. Feminist Breeder posted it on her Feminist Breeder Facebook Fan Page and after reading it I posted it on my own Breastfeeding Moms Unite Fan Page. It is called “The Rule of 10″ Versus Women’s Primal Wisdom by Lydi Owen. It discusses how the rule came about that birthing women cannot push until they reach 10 cm cervix dilation, even though some women feel the need. It enlightens and empowers women with the knowledge that if you feel the need to push before 10 cms, it is possible to do so and not tear your cervix. It’s all about following your instincts, which again, proves to be the “right” way. An excerpt:

“The first time I witnessed the cervix miraculously responding to being pushed on at 6 cm dilation was when a woman was giving birth to her third baby. Susan had a quick and easy labor. When she reached 6 cm, she could not hold back from pushing. Her body gave her clear signals that it was time for her to aid the uterus in the expulsion of her unborn child, himself pushing to be born. She began to grunt and bear down involuntarily, making primitive animal sounds that emanated from deep inside her throat.”

Another informative post by Annie at PhD in Parenting called How to report unethical promotion of formula, bottles and other breast milk substitutes tells the reader how to do just that. If you’ve ever seen unethical advertising of breastmilk substitutes and have wanted to do something about it, Annie’s post tells you how and why this is important.

Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom recently did a post entitled Medical Reasons for Breast Milk Substitutes. This post discusses the WHO and UNICEF’s 12 page publication, released  in 2009, that contains an updated list of the acceptable medical reasons for supplementation. I found the list of reasons, for and against supplementation to be both encouraging and surprisingly disappointing. But I am not a Lactation Professional, so I am interested to see what you think.

A courageous woman who’s well known among top bloggers but new to me, Maggie at Okay, Fine Dammit, wrote a very moving piece called 9 Days Sober which revealed to the world her problem with alcoholism. I really admired her courage to speak out, and I encourage anyone who suffers from the weight of a disease of addiction or mental health issue, to speak up and reach out for help. There are so many of us out there who have experience, either personal or professional, who can help.

That being said, Arwyn at Raising My Boychick is hosting a series of anonymous posts called Naked Pictures of Faceless People. So if you want to get something personal off your chest but don’t want to put it on your own blog, Arwyn will do it for you.

FInally, I was very moved by Amber’s post at Strocel.com With The Touch of My Hand all about how the magical touch of a mother can soothe her babies at night. Here’s an excerpt:

“I am like a talisman in the night. I am Safety and Comfort, and my mere presence means that everything is OK. It baffles me and inspires me, the way that I am not just a 30-something suburbanite who can’t figure out what she wants to do with herself. I am not just Amber, math whiz and all-around crunchy sort with a tendency to talk too much and rush to judgment. I am also Mother, the source of all things, the symbol of nurturing and abundance.”

Were there any posts in February that inspired or informed you in a way that knocked your socks across the room? Let me know so I can have a read too!

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Tags: breast milk substitutes