INCREDIBLE 2 FOR 1 SALE

Now not only is our spring / summer apparel collection for infants 0-4T and nursing moms 50% OFF, but if you buy 2 at half off you get a 3rd, of equal or lesser value, entirely FREE. Hurry in while supplies last!

The Economic & Health Benefits of Nursing

With soaring gas prices, rising inflation & jobless rates and the mortgage crisis, the time to save big money any way you can is NOW. To feed a baby formula can exceed $5,000 a year.

Breastfeeding is essentially free.

With just $300-$500 worth of breast pump and accessories and a few other support items, you can make nursing much easier and thus greatly increase your chances of long-term success. You might eat a bit more (gee, that's high class problem!) than if you formula fed, but if you eat nutritionally the additional costs are minimal, plus your baby gets even better nutrients than breast milk already naturally ensures.*

So, figured that way, nursing a baby for a year saves you nearly 90% compared to formula, or between $4,000-$5000.*

WOW!

Now let's take a moment to highlight the nutritional (not to mention bonding and psychological) benefits for you and your baby!

* Calms and relaxes both mom & baby promoting sleep and all the health benefits that go along with calm and rest
* Comforts and promotes security for a baby in the throes of a difficult transition into the world
* Builds a foundation of trust for baby
* Bonds mom & baby
* Brighter Brains
* Better Eyes
* Better Hearing
* Nicer Smile (stronger teeth)
* Better Breathing
* Better Hearts
* Better Intestinal Health
* Reduced Risk of Diabetes
* Better Immunities
* Healthier Skin
* Better Taste
* Less Incidence of Cancer
* Now used in Oncology for certain cancer treatments
* Healthier Children & Adults

And talk about shedding that "baby weight". There's no better way to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight or even slimmer than to nurse. It takes twice as many calories to nurse as it does to make a baby.*

*Above info based on baby expert Dr. William Sears' The Breastfeeding Book, Lactation Consultants and Oncology Caregivers we've talked to and from general information we've gathered over 5 years of being in the breastfeeding support biz.

SO PASS THE WORD ON!!!!

INCREDIBLE 2 FOR 1 SALE

Now not only is our spring / summer apparel collection for infants 0-4T and nursing moms 50% OFF, but if you buy 2 at half off you get a 3rd, of equal or lesser value, entirely FREE. Hurry in while supplies last!

50% OFF SALE

Hurry in while supplies last. All of our spring and summer apparel is now 50% OFF. That includes apparel from Newborn to 4 Toddler and Nursing Apparel.

TRUMPETTES HAVE ARRIVED

The much anticipated...
Anxiously awaited...
Cooler than ice cream...

TRUMPETTES

Have finally arrived at The Milky Way

And to celebrate we're offering:

15% OFF

All Trumpette styles from Monday (5/19) through Saturday (5/24).

Check out the "more info" link below!

[More Info]

ON THE HORIZON

Exciting news!

We'll be adding diaper bags by Petunia Pickle Bottom and Reese Li soon. Expect to see diaper bags by those designers on Milky Way shelves by mid May at the latest.

TREDZ

THE LONG-AWAITED ROBEEZ TREDZ HAVE ARRIVED AT THE MILKY WAY. ALL THE GREAT DESIGNS, THE STAY-ON ELASTIC ANKLE, THE COMFORT AND PROPS FROM PODIATRISTS AS THE ORIGINAL ROBEEZ...BUT WITH MORE SOUL. YUP, THAT'S RIGHT - FLEXIBLE RUBBER SOLES FOR YOUR LITTLE TODDLER SO HE/SHE CAN WEAR THEM TO SCHOOL, ON A WET LAWN OR A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY.

PROPS FROM THE BIG APPLE

A very stylish customer of ours who got her graduate degree in Charlotte but now lives in Manhattan recently came in and, much to our blushing delight, sang the praises of The Milky Way. She said that she often gets stopped while out with her daughter and asked where she got the outfit the girl is wearing... or an "oh, what a cute outfit that is" comment. She went on to say that when that happens, and it happens quite often, the outfit is always from The Milky Way. She said we were her favorite baby store. We took her compliment very happily and very proudly. Thanks.

A GREEN RIVER, GREEN BEER & NOW GREEN SOAP????

Our "team" colors at The Milky Way may be blue and yellow, and we may have even added a bit of orange to our website to bring a little sunshine in, but now we would like to add a little green to the picture. Not because St. Patty's day is just around the corner or that Adam's hometown of Chicago likes to color its river green every year...but because we have found a new collection of "green" products that we feel adds to our mission of helping you raise healthier and happier children.

The company is a 52-year-old stalwart called Shaklee and they have a line of cleaning products endorsed by Oprah and Dr. Oz that will make your home, and by extension, you and your children, healthier. They are toxic free which is more important than you may think. Penny Dietz, the woman who brought these products to our attention, has a two-year-old with some pretty severe respiratory problems that they have linked to the cleaning chemicals used in her household before she discovered Shaklee.

So, if you want to wash the toxic chemicals out of your house then start off with a bang and go for the Get Clean Starter Kit that Oprah and the Wizard of Oz promoted on her show. But if you'd prefer to start off small then please at least forgo the Dreft or other baby laundry product you might normally choose to wash all of those clothes for your new or soon-to-be baby, and opt instead for Shaklee's Fresh Laundry Concentrate and some of their Nature Bright Laundry Booster and Stain Remover (an Oxy Clean substitute with amazing stain-removing and whitening powers).

THE ADVANTAGES TO SHAKLEE'S GET CLEAN STARTER KIT ARE FOUR-FOLD:

1. A safer, toxic-chemical-free household in terms of cleaning products, which are some of the worst culprits now in your house.
2. A cleaner, greener, safer, healthier earth.
3. Superior cleaning products.
4. And due to the concentrated levels of the products, which range from super-concentrated to drops that will clean for months, a long-term savings of up to $3,400 for your family.

So, let's all get in the spirit of St. Patty's and go a litte "Irish" by greening up more than just our beers. Let's help make a safer home, safer, cleaner Mother Earth and save some money along the way! Who doesn't want a healthy mommy? And who doesn't want a healthy baby? And who the heck doesn't want a coupla extra "thou" in the bank account?

All Shaklee's Healthier You and Healthier World products can be ordered through our website with them -

www.shaklee.net/milkyway.

The Milky Way offers 1/3 off shipping costs and free membership (that saves you 15% off all subsequent orders) with a modest initial order. You can also find the Shaklkee cleaning line in our CMC store in Morehead Medical Plaza.

A couple of interesting things to consider:

• The average U.S. household generates more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste per year
• TEPA studies show the level of Indoor air pollution is often 5 times higher than outdoor air. Houses are so energy efficient that “outgassing” of chemicals have no where to go, so they build up inside the home
• 50% of all illness is because the air inside the home is of poor quality? (1989 State of Massachusetts Study)
• Many common household cleaners give off toxic fumes which can increase the risk of asthma in children
• ADD/ADHD are epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds.

A couple of interesting video links to check out:

http://www.shaklee.net/pws/library/flash/getclean-tv2.swf

http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/cw-11-vid.html

http://www.theglobalsuccessteam.net/resources/wmv/toxic_Brew_dsl.html

[More Info]

WE'VE MOVED TO 1ST FLOOR

Our Dilworth store is in the same location except one significant detail:

WE ARE NOW ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE SHOPS AT TWIN OAKS!!

So no more stairs to climb. Yay! So bring your strollers or pregnant bellies right in without that extra effort those pesky stairs demanded.

MLK Tribute

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

Here are lyrics from a song many of you may know by U2 called (Pride) In the Name of Love. We think it fitting and inspirational that, since this song's release, Bono has lead a widespread campaign to help Africa and has recently been honored by the NAACP for his message and for all of his efforts. How cool is that? Cut and paste this "YouTube" link if you care to see his speech at the awards ceremony:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDueMj7RlsU&feature=related

This song for which he wrote the following lyrics seems to be a direct tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. (although the date that refers to Mr. King's shooting appears to be inaccurate):

(PRIDE) IN THE NAME OF LOVE
One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resist
One man washed up on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

Peace out!

JULIUS THE MOST COOLIEST!

THE MILKY WAY NOW CARRIES THE SMALL PAUL LINE OF CHILDREN'S APPAREL!!!

UNMISTAKABLE! UNFORGETTABLE!

Julius is this quite humorous monkey character that appears on the better part of Small Paul's children's clothing line. Once you see him you won't easily forget his silly mug. He'll become your favorite non-animated cartoon character. See Julius as Ponch in that old '70s classic TV show C.H.I.Ps. With those silly bug-eyed and overly large mirrored shades preferred by many in law enforcement. Check out in many other kid-friendly and pop-culture referential poses. There are also a range of equally unique and memorable characters within the line.

It's a very pop culture rockin' hip line that can now be seen at our Milky Way store at 1419 East Blvd. and soon to be available here online once the fall line is released. Expect to see Julius here in mid-to-late summer.

You can't help but smile every time you see Julius on your kid's tee shirt, pajama or pair of slippers.

Small Paul is an off-shoot of the ever-hip, ever-funky line of adult apparel by Paul Frank.

Keep things light, keep things groovy, keep things cool hep cats!

MORE AWEZOME NEWZ

THE MILKY WAY NOW CARRIES ZUTANO!!!!

If you're familiar with Zutano then come on down to our Milky Way store at 1419 East Blvd. in the Shops at Twin Oaks where we now carry a wide selection of Zutano basics and spring show-stoppers. If you're not familiar with Zutano then you really MUST come on down and check out the line. You're in for a very pleasant surprise.

This affordable line of infant and toddler wear is very popular, very well-known and quite distinctive. Bright, colorful, groovy. And the great thing about Zutano is that you can mix and match tops and bottoms to your aesthetic delight. The line is designed so that there are several pieces in each group and all of those pieces match each other... so the possibilities are nearly endless.

Again, the line is available at The Milky Way on East Blvd. and will be available online once their fall collection arrives. Expect to see it here in mid-to-late summer.

Hurry on in and check it out, hep cats!

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL BREASTFEEDING

1. Get the baby latched as soon as possible after birth.
2. Get 3-4 good nursing bras (we recommend at least one Bravado Original bra as it stretches with your body changes).
3. Get a good double-electric breastpump (we recommend the Medela Pump In Style Advanced)
4. Rest, rest, rest. Nap when baby naps. Party when baby parties.
5. Ask to see a Lacation Consultant in the hospital and, when needed, after discharge. Better to get off on the right foot than get off track.
6. A firm nursing pillow, such as the My Brest Friend, is key.
7. Nurse often and don't limit time.
8. Count diapers to make sure baby is getting enough.

FASHION BOBBIES INSTALLMENT #DEUX

Dig this dawgs; catch this hepcats and hepkittens:

Last season birds were "It", this year it looks like the "It" creature is going to be...

OWLS! Owls? Yup, owls!

GROOVY TOT FASHION TREND OF TODAY
Reminiscent of 1970s teenage boy bedroom poster fashion, (yup, you read that write, cool cats) today's infant and toddler boy T-shirts feature skulls (more Grateful Dead-ish than the previously popular pirate version), snowboarders, vintage trucks, 70's cars (think the Cheech character in the movie Cars) and choppers. Some are done in a scratchy pen-and-ink style popular in '70s pop culture, others are groovier with large arcs of '70s color and swoop. We've seen these subjects and styles a few seasons now.

But brand new to the upcoming fall season is the subject matter of Great North animals like Grizzlies, Elk, Cariboux, and oddly enough, Owls. Owls seem to be everywhere children's apparel is, for little ones to little kids, from boys to girls. So if you wanna stay hip, cats, grab a groovy owl piece done in a '70s-style pen-and-ink drawing on a cool Tee. Coming soon to The Milky Way in Charlotte, NC and now here online at www.amilkyway.com.

FASHION BOBBIES INSTALLMENT #UNO

You've probably noticed the mid-to-late '60s mod style of our website. Not all our apparel and diaper bags, etc., are reminiscent of that era. But some are and if we were to pick our absotively grooviest period in fashion history it would have to be the '60s. And nowhere on earth was it more happenin' than in Swingin' London during the '60s. Think Twiggy. Think Austin Powers. Think of some recent poses by Kate Moss. If that ain't exactly your thing then think Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. The '60s had it goin' on. From music to art to fashion, the '60s were mean. Sick. Twisted. Groooooooovvvvvyyyy, baby.

So the 3 of us are going to opt for a London '60s alias for our fashionista alter-egos. Instead of the fashion police, we're the Fashion Bobbies. As in British police officers. As in truncheons, mounted officers on horses and those cute little hats.

As our first installment, we're bringing you a little commentary on color. Ever since we've been in the baby biz, chocolate and pink and then chocolate and blue have been all the rage. So that's always a good way to go, but it's getting a bit yesterday (all my troubles seemed so far away......). Last year for boys clothing orange was IT. I mean it. And why the heck not? Orange pops. Orange is new. It's loud. It's fun. See our toddler guitar tee by Charlie Rocket to see some of last seasons vestiges of hip colorocity.

This season, for boys it's a rusty, brick orange. Peep the safari outfit by Sweet Potatoes in a buttery yellow with burnt orange trimmings. Also check out the many boys outfits by Deux par Deux (which translates to 2 by 2 as in Noah's animales) that are decked out and piped and trimmed and highlighted in burnt orange.

CIAO FOR NOW!
The Fashion Bobbies
(Wooten & Adam and Catherine)

Rock 'n' Roll Baby

Rock ‘n’ Roll Babies are all the rage! And the best place to find the spirit of “Baby Rock” is at Charlotte’s own Milky Way. If you check out the latest fashion shows and infant apparel marts in NY, LA, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta, you will find some kind of guitar and some or other rock ‘n’ roll phrase silk-screened on countless infant and toddler T-shirts in showroom after showroom. Curt Cobain’s short sleeve T-shirt over a long sleeve T-shirt look made famous in Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit” video is also the norm for infant and toddler boys’ apparel. Joe’s-Garage-style urban Rockabilly boys’ apparel is likewise as easy to find as hay in a haystack.

As odd as the combination of baby and Rock ‘n’ Roll might seem, if you carefully consider this latest Rockin’ Baby craze, it might just make more sense than it would at first appear.

• First, babies and children overwhelming respond to music, both making and listening to it. It’s a primal form of communication that develops even before formal language skills do.

• Second, today’s generation of parents, and let’s be honest, grandparents even, were weaned on Pop and Rock Music. From the Beatles to U2 to REM to Nirvana, today’s parents have some sort of nostalgia for popular rock of yesteryear. With today’s pop radio stations blasting mostly teen-targeted Hip Hop, Britney or Rap Metal, it would seem natural that contemporary parents find the old school Rock nostalgically comforting and appealing.

• Third, as expectant and new families emotionally prepare for the raising of their child, they invariably entertain notions of reliving their own wonder-filled childhoods. And, although Rock ‘n’ Roll is not something we remember from infancy, new parents still cannot help but play a slideshow of their own youth as they anticipate their child’s development. We all have a deep nostalgic fondness for those first songs we heard on the radio as we listened in the car to our own parents’ radio stations, or the anarchic thrill of those footloose-and-fancy-free days of rebellious youth, or the theme song from our high school proms.

• Fourth, Rock rocks.

Rock ‘n’ Roll and style have always been closely aligned, if not nearly synonymous. From blue suede shoes and ducktails to mop tops and love beads, to mohawks and Doc Martins to Grunge, Rock has influenced fashion and vice versa. It would therefore seem a natural extension that today’s parents have an affinity for infant and toddler alt fashion and that Rock ‘n’ Roll is currently the most visible representation of today’s infant styles.

If you go to The Milky Way, you’ll not only hear a wide variety of “COOL” and “ECLECTIC” rock ‘n’ roll jammin’ on the stereo in this baby shop, you’ll also see the very funkiest, most trendy, most fashion-forward styles for wee ones of all ages – from preemies to four-year-old toddlers. It’s certainly the coolest baby shop in Charlotte if not the coolest baby store in the world. Come check it out to truly take in a modern, cutting edge Rock ‘n ‘Roll baby experience.

Breastfeeding Promotion Act

REP. CAROLYN MALONEY IS GOING TO REINTRODUCE THE BREASTFEEDING PROMOTION ACT THIS COMING SESSION

The Breastfeeding Promotion would:
• Amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect breastfeeding by new mothers
• Provide tax incentives for businesses that establish private lactation areas in the workplace
• Provide for a performance standard for breast pumps and;
• Provide families with a tax deduction for breastfeeding equipment.

Let’s make Nancy Pelosi – the incoming Speaker of the House of Representatives – aware that the Breastfeeding Promotion Act is important and that we would like her support in January. Here’s a suggestion we’ve heard to help the Breastfeeding Promotion Act have a better chance of going through:
* Go to a card store and purchase (or make a homemade) card that is a "Congratulations on the New Grand-baby" card. The Speaker and the press have made much of the fact that she is a grandmother first and that she was awaiting grandbaby # 6 right around Election Day. The baby is a boy named Paul.
* Write in the card:
1) All babies have the Right to Breastfeed anywhere that the mother has the right to be
2) Their mothers' need policies in the law that support the government's Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign to educate employers and workers of mothers' rights
3) Ask her to throw the full weight of her position behind getting the Breastfeeding Promotion Act PASSED this coming session.
* Get all your friends to sign your card before you mail it to Speaker Pelosi. Or buy/make several cards and get them addressed/stamped and ready to go and collect signatures from supportive friends who you know have good intentions, but little time, and mail them out with your own.
* And lastly, send this email to every mother, friend, breastfeeding support group and parenting site you know so that others can also send a card.
* The idea is to get hundreds if not thousands of signatures/cards sent to Nancy Pelosi's office right now so that, by the time the Breastfeeding Promotion Act is reintroduced in January, she and her staff will have it on their radar.
The address to mail a card to Speaker Nancy Pelosi is:
Representative Nancy Pelosi
2371 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Welcome to The Milky Way

Hello, friend and fellow traveler,

The Milky Way was created to help new parents have the best, most rewarding and easiest experience possible during that first magical year of their new baby's life. Our customers liked our products for newborns so much that we soon found ourselves offering gifts, clothes, shoes and anything groovy we could get our hands on to brighten the first 4 years of a child's life. We also now look backward a bit in this process to the last trimester or so of pregnancy to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for the mother.

As our name would suggest, our specialty happens to be products, aids and support for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. Our mission is and has always been to offer moms who want to breastfeed the best chance possible to achieve nursing success and enjoyment. With that mission in mind, we opened our first Milky Way store over three years ago in a trendy shopping district in the neigborhood of Dilworth, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

We believe that we've had a fair amount of success as we were subsequently invited by Carolinas Medical Center, one of the largest public hospital system in the country, to open a second Milky Way store within their main hospital complex We have been helping new parents at our new hospital location now for nearly a year. In that time, we have worked closely with the Carolinas Medical Center Lactation Outpatient director and head Lactation Consultant, Lisa Mather. She has helped us learn a lot about breastfeeding and together we have helped many new families have great success with nursing. It makes getting up and going to work, quite frankly, a real joy.

We also work closely with the Obstetric Education Department at Carolinas Medical Center and have learned from them and, we hope, helped some of the new parents in their classes have a more enjoyable "brand new baby" stage. This is one of the greatest, most awe-inspiring, and let's be honest folks, most difficult times in anybody's life. We believe that we've helped more than a few new families have it all a little bit easier, a little less stressful and a little more rewarding (and with a cuter, more stylish baby to boot!). One of our favorite things by far about owning The Milky Way is seeing new parents become new families. We see the highs, the lows, and almost always, the greatest high in life there is.

Thanks for listening,
Wooten & Adam Schmitz

P.S. And don't forget us!
Signed, Zeke (4) and Josephine (2)

[More Info]

Mission Statement

The Milky Way is a store for nursing mothers owned and operated by a nursing mother and father. That’s the two of us – Wooten and Adam Schmitz. For us, nursing has always been a family affair. We were committed to making nursing a success with our first child, Zeke, and thank goodness we were! It sometimes took the two of us working together just to get him latched on during those first days after birth! Since then, we’ve shared in all the challenges and joys that nursing and parenthood have brought. And it was these challenges and joys that inspired us to open The Milky Way, a one-stop shop for new and nursing mothers, in Charlotte and amilkyway.com worldwide.

Both in our storefront and online, we hope to provide the nurturing environment we believe is so important to successful nursing. In our retail shops and online we offer only the best, most natural and most necessary nursing aids and baby care products, a wide array of nursing bras (sizes 32B to 44H), helpful literature and a supportive environment and personalized and knowledgeable service. In addition to these services and products, our website offers breastfeeding blogs, expert tip sheets, and a recurring blog called Lisa's Corner (LC for short) with an experienced lactation consultant.

By offering these products and services we believe that we can accomplish our mission to provide parents who wish to nurse their children every opportunity to succeed at something we, ourselves, found deeply fulfilling.

Thoughts for New Fathers

Hi this is Adam, father of two beautiful children and husband half of the mom & pop Milky Way equation. I certainly haven’t figured it all out yet (or probably ever will), but maybe I’ve discovered a few tricks and strategies that might be of help to you new fathers. These aren’t tried and true, patented pieces of advice, rather just some things I found that enriched my fathering experience or things that made the awesome task of parenting a little bit easier. I’ll keep posting things as I discover them.

Take ‘em for what they’re worth:

• Attempt to accept (it can be really hard) that your baby will be mommy-obsessed for at least the first 2 – 3 months. You will hardly appear on his/her radar those first few months. But don’t take it personally. S/he’ll come around, and if you hang in there and give him/her as much care and affection as you can, you’ll soon find your way into his/her heart (in no time). But, at first, it’s easy to get jealous and frustrated and worry that you’ll never have a deep bond with your child; but you will if you give the time and effort. It just won’t come right away like it will with the baby’s mother.
• During those first few mommy-obsessed months, keep reminding yourself that your baby has just spent the last 9 months literally being a part of his/her mother. Then, after your infant is born, your baby only needs to eat and sleep. Its mom is best at providing the food and the comfort for sleep. Your baby doesn’t even know at this point that s/he’s But when your baby “wakes up” and realizes there’s more out there than a milk-filled breast, s/he will notice you and you will become a big part of his/her life. Believe me – it’s worth the wait.
• I noticed that one of my daughter’s first interactions with the outside worth (at about 2 months old) was a two-dimensional black & white drawing of a face on the underside of her mobile above her changing table. She actually would get giddy with delight at seeing this face. I figured to get myself noticed I’d stick my mug in roughly the same place when Josephine was lying on her back on our bed. She smiled at me, cooed at me, made raspberries at me and entertained me for a good 15 minutes before she needed another diversion. The mobile: $14.95. The changing table: $40. The changing pad: $9.95. My first major interaction with my daughter: Priceless.
• My bonding with Josephine began about the same time my wife, Wooten, took our son, Zeke, to see Shrek II. Just the two of them. Leaving a very scared daddy (that’s me!) and Josephine home alone for over 2 hours. Just me and a little baby who has been a high-needs baby and refuses to take milk from anything but my wife’s breast. I played my guitar for Josie for awhile. I took a bath with her for awhile. I walked her for a while. I let her enjoy her mobile for awhile. We took a nap together for awhile. And after that we were best buds. Moral of this story: Find some time to be alone with your baby! S/He won’t forget it.
• Music. Both of my kids love music. Classical is okay, but what they really love is music with a beat. Zeke and I really enjoyed a Music Together class that we both loved. Zeke now has his own set of percussion instruments and loves to bang away with them. We have enjoyed hours and hours rockin’ out together with air guitars and real guitars (mostly used as drums, of course).

Lisa's Corner

Having operated our Carolinas Medical Center retail store next to the Outpatient Lactation Services where Board Certified Lactation Consultant Lisa Mather sees families in need of nursing assistance and care for nearly a year now, we would conclude without hesitation that there is no better (and better loved) LC than Miss Lisa. She is not only a great LC but also a great friend. And her patients just love her. I've never seen such a parade of stressed out moms, and often dads, marching into her offices and such a parade of relieved, smiling, even ebulient people heading out of her office. The transformation is remarkable. Not only do her patients relate to us how much she has helped them and how much they appreciate and respect her, most partings between mom and Lisa end in big bear hugs.

We have started a blog strand called Lisa's Corner to offer her advice and help to those in need who are online, but also as a tribute to her amazing Lactation Consultant abilities.

INSTALLMENT #1: Did you know..

....that Mother's Milk makes a difference?

• Mother's Milk provides infants all the nutrients for the best physical and mental development.
• Mother's Milk helps infants fight infections and develop healthy immune systems.
• Mothers who choose to breastfeed are healthier, with less risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and wider child spacing.
• Mother's Milk is convenient with no bottles or nipples to prepare or refrigerate.
• Familes who breastfeed save $$ on food and healthcare costs.
• Mother's Milk contributes to a better environment by using less energy and creating less waste.

Infant feeding costs:

Breastfeeding: Requires that the mother consume an additional 200 kCal per day, the equivalent of two tablespoons of peanut butter. The annual cost is $57.

Just for Fun: Figure the weekly cost of formula and put that amount in a special savings account for every week your baby is exclusively breastfed. A great start on your baby's college fund. Depending on which formula you use, the cost could be as much as $3,000. Now that's a pretty good first step toward a great college education!

INSTALLMENT #2: The Benefits of Nursing

BENEFITS FOR MOTHER

• Bonds mother and child
• Provides the baby with a hormone-induced contentment
• Encourages efficient uterine contractions after childbirth
• Allows mothers to lose pregnancy weight and size faster
• Convenient (the milk is pre-warmed, clean and always available)
• Cost-effective (costs a family approximately $3,000 a year to formula feed one infant)
• Contributes to natural family planning
• Contributes to household food security
• Fosters confidence and promotes self-esteem
• Protective against cancer (breast, ovarian, cervical)
• Lowers the incidence of chronic hepatitis
• Reduces the risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis
• Reduces the requirements of insulin for diabetic mothers
• Empowers the mother

BENEFITS FOR BABY

Breastfed babies:

• Get sick less often and get illnesses that are less severe
• Are hospitalized less often and have a lower mortality rate
• Have a lower risk of diarrheal disease
• Have lower incidence of gastrointestinal illness
• Have a lower risk of urinary track infections
• Have a lower incidence of respiratory disease
• Have a lower incidence of otitis media
• Have a lower rate of obesity
• Have a lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Have fewer learning and behavior difficulties
• Have better psychological development
• Develop a more energy-efficient and rhythmically functioning nervous system
• Have a lower rate of pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, and giardia infections
• Are less likely to develop heart disease and cancer later in life
• Studies have shown protective substances in human breast milk can help ward off ear infections, allergies, vomiting, diarrhea, pneumonia and meningitis. In fact, if every mother nursed for the recommended period of time it would save the country an estimated $1- $5 trillion annually in health care costs.

BREASTFEEDING:

• Helps bond mother and baby
• Confers passive immunities
• Is protective against measles and other
• Provides optimal growth and neurological development
• Protects against hypothermia
• Provides partial protection against necrotising enterocolotis
• Provides major protection against bacteremia and meningitis
• Reduces the incidence of childhood lymphoma
• Enhances visual development
• Provides protection against neonatal sepsis
• Is less risky for premature babies and babies with low birth weight

INSTALLMENT #3: What Every Mom Needs to Know About Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding isn't always easy. You may need more patience, more practice than you might have imagined.

• Ask for help!
• Breastfeeding is not supposed to be painful
• Feed your baby often
• Get comfortable
• Let your baby set the pace
• Hold off on a pacifier at first
• Gauge your success
• Wear loose clothing
• Make healthy lifestyle choices
• You may cry a lot but try to laugh...this time will go by way too fast
• If it feels right to you, then it's right
• Trust your maternal instincts!