Today Angela over at Breastfeeding 1-2-3 posted an AMAZING collection of breastfeeding related product, book and clothing reviews! Trust me, a post like that takes a lot of time and requires a lot of back and forth between open tabs (you other bloggers know what I mean). Please go over and check out this virtual mall of anything you could ever need or want related to breastfeeding that she so diligently put together.
I didn't make it far down the page before seeing a link to the Black Breastfeeding Blog. At first I was shocked (happy but shocked) to learn there was another black woman blogging about breastfeeding, but soon realized that the woman behind the Black Breastfeeding Blog is none other than Jennifer James, web magazine diva, homeschooling advocate and experienced writer. She is the heart and soul behind Mommy Too Magazine and the National African-American Homeschoolers Alliance among other things. The Black Breastfeeding Blog is in a network of blogs dedicated to the Black American parenting experience from conception to securing money for your child's education. So encouraging to see more voices representing African-Americans on the web and even more exciting to me to find one encouraging and supporting breastfeeding moms! Thanks Jennifer!
I have added the Black Breastfeeding blog to the Places I Like list on the left. I hope you are visiting my friends on a regular basis. Like most women, we always have a lot to say!
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Vitamin D - The Controversy lives
A new study released a few days ago is raising concerns about the levels of Vitamin D in American pregnant women and babies. The study funded by the National Institutes of Health, found that 80% of African-American women and over 50% of White women had Vitamin D levels that were "too low" at delivery. They also found that the newborns had low levels of vitamin D - 92.4% and 66.1% respectively had low levels despite 90% of the moms taking the recommended amount in a prenatal vitamin.
I think this study raises more questions than answers. First of all, there is no agreed upon optimum level of Vitamin D intake. Part of the problem is that Vitamin D isn't really a vitamin, it's a hormone. Your body synthesizes it from sunlight. Vitamin D is truly a lack of appropriate sun exposure. However, all the concern about protecting oneself from skin cancer (which is valid but needs to be balanced with our need for fresh air and sunlight) has created a culture afraid of the sun and its rays.
I would be interested to read the study. Were the women encouraged to eat a diet high in foods that provide this essential element of good health such as Salmon, shrimp, Cod and cod liver oil, eggs and of course fortified dairy and other products? Now cod liver oil can be taken in a pill - no more yucky spoonfuls of fishy oil! It is difficult if not impossible to eat your way to your necessary amount of Vitamin D, but thinking about it as part of your dietary planning is a smart thing to do.
Were the women encouraged to get a small amount of sunlight each day/week Spring through fall? That is the easiest and best way to get "Vitamin D" - the way your body was meant to have it, by making it! Cynthia Good Mojab calls vitamin D deficiency, sunlight deficiency. How would you cure a deficiency in sunlight? More sunlight! Read her article from LLLI's Breastfeeding Abstracts here.
What levels are dangerous? When does your level of Vitamin D leave you more susceptible to the various chronic diseases that it is believed to help protect against: breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more? Just about every study on Vitamin D concedes that we can and should all have higher levels but don't . Yet we don't all have cancer; we don't even have high amounts of rickets or osteomalacia (rickets for grown folks). If we are supplementing and it is not enough, maybe it's time to put down the sunscreen a little and enjoy the sunshine a little more.
I understand that public health messages are supposed to be simple and for the masses. However, I think a blanket ban on sun and blanket recommendation of vitamin D supplementation isn't getting us to where we need to be.
You may be wondering what this has to do with breastfeeding. Well, the NIH and AAP recommend Vitamin D supplementation for ALL breastfed babies, regardless of skin tone based on the amount of Vitamin D found in breastmilk. This is flawed for two reasons. One, the vitamin D content of human milk varies from five to 136 IU per liter and is not the constant 25 IU vitamin D per liter claimed on the NIH website. Secondly, humans are meant to synthesize Vitamin D from sunlight through skin NOT ingest it through food. So calling the baby's food source deficient is unfair because it was never meant to be the source. Just because you can add enough Vitamin D to formula to have the magical approved RDI listed on the label, doesn't mean the baby absorbs it.
From the NIH website:
Infants who are exclusively breastfed
In infants, vitamin D requirements cannot be met by human (breast) milk alone [4,19], which usually provides approximately 25 IU vitamin D per liter [20]. Sunlight is a potential source of vitamin D for infants, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that infants be kept out of direct sunlight and wear protective clothing and sunscreen when exposed to sunlight [21]. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a daily supplement of 200 IU vitamin D for breastfed infants beginning within the first 2 months of life unless they are weaned to receive at least 500 ml (about 2 cups) per day of vitamin D-fortified formula [20]. Children and adolescents who are not routinely exposed to sunlight and do not consume at least 2, 8-fluid ounce servings of vitamin D-fortified milk per day are also at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and may need a dietary supplement containing 200 IU vitamin D [20].
Formula fed infants usually consume recommended amounts of vitamin D because the 1980 Infant Formula Act requires that infant formulas be fortified with vitamin D. The minimal level of fortification required is 40 IU vitamin D per 100 calories of formula. The maximum level of vitamin D fortification allowed is 100 IU per 100 calories of formula [22]. This range of fortification produces a standard 20 calorie per ounce formula providing between 265 and 660 IU vitamin D per liter.
**************************************************************************
Does the risk of skin cancer from sun exposure outweigh the known risks of formula? Did the AAP research that before making this recommendation?
Am I supposed to exclusively breastfeed or wean to some formula by two months to make sure my baby is getting enough vitamin D? Is it any wonder that the "benefits of breastmilk" don't outweigh the "benefits of formula feeding" to most moms?
It is statements like these (and their underlying attitudes and misunderstanding of human milk) that makes breastfeeding promotion difficult. How can breastmilk be both "the gold standard" and "deficient and needing supplementation"?
For more information on this issue see LLLI's FAQ on Vitamin and fluoride supplements, Kellymom.com's Does my Baby need vitamin D supplements and The Politics of Vitamin D: Questioning Universal Supplementation by Kathy Barber and Mishawn Purnell-O'Neal.
Now, next time the sun is out, go outside and enjoy yourself! Get your RDI of sushine!
I think this study raises more questions than answers. First of all, there is no agreed upon optimum level of Vitamin D intake. Part of the problem is that Vitamin D isn't really a vitamin, it's a hormone. Your body synthesizes it from sunlight. Vitamin D is truly a lack of appropriate sun exposure. However, all the concern about protecting oneself from skin cancer (which is valid but needs to be balanced with our need for fresh air and sunlight) has created a culture afraid of the sun and its rays.
I would be interested to read the study. Were the women encouraged to eat a diet high in foods that provide this essential element of good health such as Salmon, shrimp, Cod and cod liver oil, eggs and of course fortified dairy and other products? Now cod liver oil can be taken in a pill - no more yucky spoonfuls of fishy oil! It is difficult if not impossible to eat your way to your necessary amount of Vitamin D, but thinking about it as part of your dietary planning is a smart thing to do.
Were the women encouraged to get a small amount of sunlight each day/week Spring through fall? That is the easiest and best way to get "Vitamin D" - the way your body was meant to have it, by making it! Cynthia Good Mojab calls vitamin D deficiency, sunlight deficiency. How would you cure a deficiency in sunlight? More sunlight! Read her article from LLLI's Breastfeeding Abstracts here.
What levels are dangerous? When does your level of Vitamin D leave you more susceptible to the various chronic diseases that it is believed to help protect against: breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more? Just about every study on Vitamin D concedes that we can and should all have higher levels but don't . Yet we don't all have cancer; we don't even have high amounts of rickets or osteomalacia (rickets for grown folks). If we are supplementing and it is not enough, maybe it's time to put down the sunscreen a little and enjoy the sunshine a little more.
I understand that public health messages are supposed to be simple and for the masses. However, I think a blanket ban on sun and blanket recommendation of vitamin D supplementation isn't getting us to where we need to be.
You may be wondering what this has to do with breastfeeding. Well, the NIH and AAP recommend Vitamin D supplementation for ALL breastfed babies, regardless of skin tone based on the amount of Vitamin D found in breastmilk. This is flawed for two reasons. One, the vitamin D content of human milk varies from five to 136 IU per liter and is not the constant 25 IU vitamin D per liter claimed on the NIH website. Secondly, humans are meant to synthesize Vitamin D from sunlight through skin NOT ingest it through food. So calling the baby's food source deficient is unfair because it was never meant to be the source. Just because you can add enough Vitamin D to formula to have the magical approved RDI listed on the label, doesn't mean the baby absorbs it.
From the NIH website:
Infants who are exclusively breastfed
In infants, vitamin D requirements cannot be met by human (breast) milk alone [4,19], which usually provides approximately 25 IU vitamin D per liter [20]. Sunlight is a potential source of vitamin D for infants, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that infants be kept out of direct sunlight and wear protective clothing and sunscreen when exposed to sunlight [21]. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a daily supplement of 200 IU vitamin D for breastfed infants beginning within the first 2 months of life unless they are weaned to receive at least 500 ml (about 2 cups) per day of vitamin D-fortified formula [20]. Children and adolescents who are not routinely exposed to sunlight and do not consume at least 2, 8-fluid ounce servings of vitamin D-fortified milk per day are also at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency and may need a dietary supplement containing 200 IU vitamin D [20].
Formula fed infants usually consume recommended amounts of vitamin D because the 1980 Infant Formula Act requires that infant formulas be fortified with vitamin D. The minimal level of fortification required is 40 IU vitamin D per 100 calories of formula. The maximum level of vitamin D fortification allowed is 100 IU per 100 calories of formula [22]. This range of fortification produces a standard 20 calorie per ounce formula providing between 265 and 660 IU vitamin D per liter.
**************************************************************************
Does the risk of skin cancer from sun exposure outweigh the known risks of formula? Did the AAP research that before making this recommendation?
Am I supposed to exclusively breastfeed or wean to some formula by two months to make sure my baby is getting enough vitamin D? Is it any wonder that the "benefits of breastmilk" don't outweigh the "benefits of formula feeding" to most moms?
It is statements like these (and their underlying attitudes and misunderstanding of human milk) that makes breastfeeding promotion difficult. How can breastmilk be both "the gold standard" and "deficient and needing supplementation"?
For more information on this issue see LLLI's FAQ on Vitamin and fluoride supplements, Kellymom.com's Does my Baby need vitamin D supplements and The Politics of Vitamin D: Questioning Universal Supplementation by Kathy Barber and Mishawn Purnell-O'Neal.
Now, next time the sun is out, go outside and enjoy yourself! Get your RDI of sushine!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Pregnancy on the big screen
I was just minding my own business, reading my email, when I saw a post from one of the many lists I am on about a new film concerning pregnancy and birth in the good ole U.S. of A. It looks very promising. Pregnant in America is said to be "a film that will expose the underside of the U.S. childbirth industry and help end its neglectful exploitation of pregnancy and birth". He said "neglectful exploitation...", I can already see some OBs taking off their earrings and greasing up for the fight. This could really stir things up in the world of American birth.
I have not seen An Inconvenient Truth, but many people were moved by it. I have read passionate posts about people who felt like their eyes were opened and they were moved to make steps or more steps to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Apparently, Al Gore is now organizing a series of worldwide concerts to continue his mission.
It all started with a film.
Now, granted, this guy, Steve Buonaugurio doesn't have the money, political clout and renown that Al Gore has. But if he can create a groundswell of support using the power of viral marketing (think YouTube videos) and the blogging world (remember the recent Pork vs the Lactivist), he can use this film to make a statement and actually turn the tide of the pregnancy machine in this country. It took consumer demand to allow fathers in the delivery room. Maybe a film like this can help create the fire that will drop our cesarean rate from 30 percent to 10 percent (as it should be) and will drop our shameful infant mortality rate (and the shame only rises for the African-American family who has higher infant mortality rates).
So go check out the trailer and tell me what you think. Would you see the film? Do you think it will give an honest view of the state of pregnancy and birth care in America today? Will it scare women or help them wake up and become more aggressive consumers? I can't wait to hear what you think.
I have not seen An Inconvenient Truth, but many people were moved by it. I have read passionate posts about people who felt like their eyes were opened and they were moved to make steps or more steps to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Apparently, Al Gore is now organizing a series of worldwide concerts to continue his mission.
It all started with a film.
Now, granted, this guy, Steve Buonaugurio doesn't have the money, political clout and renown that Al Gore has. But if he can create a groundswell of support using the power of viral marketing (think YouTube videos) and the blogging world (remember the recent Pork vs the Lactivist), he can use this film to make a statement and actually turn the tide of the pregnancy machine in this country. It took consumer demand to allow fathers in the delivery room. Maybe a film like this can help create the fire that will drop our cesarean rate from 30 percent to 10 percent (as it should be) and will drop our shameful infant mortality rate (and the shame only rises for the African-American family who has higher infant mortality rates).
So go check out the trailer and tell me what you think. Would you see the film? Do you think it will give an honest view of the state of pregnancy and birth care in America today? Will it scare women or help them wake up and become more aggressive consumers? I can't wait to hear what you think.
Friday, February 16, 2007
The Big Apple Supports Breastfeeding
This story is a few days old, but the city of New York deserves a big thumbs up for their recent breastfeeding promotion effort. The New York Post has an article about the New York City Health Department's million dollar program to support and encourage breastfeeding. The program includes $2 million in hospital based breastfeeding promotion, $7 million to hire home visiting nurses,$4.5 million for an ad campaign (signs on buses and taxis, etc.) and training 50 health care workers in breastfeeding support. I am excited about the ad campaign and I think the city will probably do a very good job producing beautiful, multicultural public health pro-breastfeeding messages.
I am crossing my fingers about the rest of it however. The article said they will be taking the free formula "gift" bags (aka - Marketing Materials for drug companies) out of hospitals, possibly an attempt to be more Baby Friendly, and will replace the formula sponsored diaper bags with milk storage bags and ice packs. Will $2 million be enough to do that and hire enough staff? Are there regulations as to how the hospitals spend the money? Who decides?
The prospect of home health nurses is very exciting. That is an intervention that has been used in many populations to improve health outcomes. I hope that the nurses they hire actually have BREASTFEEDING training. Breastfeeding is not always covered in a basic nursing curriculum. I sincerely hope whomever is responsible for the administration of this program will make sure every home health visitor is trained in basic breastfeeding management.
I am sure what the thought plan is with training 50 health care workers to assist breastfeeding women...in a city with over 8.1 million people...50 newly trained IBCLCs (I hope this is what they are alluding to)? Maybe per hospital, that would work. I am not sure what that means but it will be interesting to see if breastfeeding rates in New York city go up.
Here's hoping that throwing a bunch of money at breastfeeding promotion and support actually works and is executed well. If so, maybe other cities will follow.
I am crossing my fingers about the rest of it however. The article said they will be taking the free formula "gift" bags (aka - Marketing Materials for drug companies) out of hospitals, possibly an attempt to be more Baby Friendly, and will replace the formula sponsored diaper bags with milk storage bags and ice packs. Will $2 million be enough to do that and hire enough staff? Are there regulations as to how the hospitals spend the money? Who decides?
The prospect of home health nurses is very exciting. That is an intervention that has been used in many populations to improve health outcomes. I hope that the nurses they hire actually have BREASTFEEDING training. Breastfeeding is not always covered in a basic nursing curriculum. I sincerely hope whomever is responsible for the administration of this program will make sure every home health visitor is trained in basic breastfeeding management.
I am sure what the thought plan is with training 50 health care workers to assist breastfeeding women...in a city with over 8.1 million people...50 newly trained IBCLCs (I hope this is what they are alluding to)? Maybe per hospital, that would work. I am not sure what that means but it will be interesting to see if breastfeeding rates in New York city go up.
Here's hoping that throwing a bunch of money at breastfeeding promotion and support actually works and is executed well. If so, maybe other cities will follow.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The Love Day Report....
I hope you all were able to experience a little romance yesterday. If you are like me - a few kids, still nursing at least one of them and limited babysitters by choice or necessity - romantic moments are often scheduled. As experienced couples will tell you, spontenaiety is a luxury of the childless. After a baby joins the family, it may be easier to "schedule" a night for regular romance to 1)assure that it ever happens again and 2)give mama time to emotionally (try to relax with the kids that that day) and physically (get enough sleep and be energized for the "night" ahead) prepare for something that used to happen only when "the mood" struck. It's also nice for your man to know he won't be going too long without. I know it can be somewhat awkward discussing what goes on in the bedroom (or if their are children in your room - in the other rooms of the house) but sexuality is important to every woman, breastfeeding mothers included.
Every year we celebrate our anniversary (February 1) and Valentine's Day in one big shebang. This year was our first attempt to leave the Tizzle (8 month old and baby #3) and have a romantic dinner and after party (if you know what I mean) in an empty house.
I am a woman of my word and I promised that I would deliver a report, to you the readers of Mocha Milk, if the wonderful people behind Condessa Breastfeeding Lingerie sent me a set to try. Well, they found out that I was admiring their skivvies and sent me the beautiful Cassandra Seductive Sunset Brassiere and Brief Set for evaluation. I was in search of form and function. So keeping with my original post about Condessa, I have a list of SEXY - what I liked and GET BACK - what could use improvement.
SEXY
-Beautiful, vibrant color! Makes you feel happier and more beautiful. And I have to say, Sunset on brown skin - very nice. I am sure the other colors look just as good.
-Cotton-lined cups. The bra cups are lined with a soft, cotton fabric so the lace doesn't rub the nipples. Comfortable but undetectable to your man.
-Bra sizing seems to be pretty standard yet generous. Runs true to regular bra sizing.
-Jewel tone button snaps to release cups. I wasn't crazy about the function of them but the aesthetic was very pleasing. They looked like a pretty decoration not an access point, ya know?
-Very supportive! Several of you wrote me personally and said you might try Condessa even though you are hardcore underwire fans. I have only owned one underwire bra in my life but the Condessa Cassandra line bra supports like an underwire without the potential duct-plugging wire! It is supportive, lifting and separating without wires and I had no idea what I was missing.
GET BACK
-Lace bras under cotton shirts can be rather unsightly. Some mothers shy away from lacy bras for that very reason. So if you never wear anything but cotton t-shirts this bra might bother you. On the other hand, maybe it means you need to branch out and try something a little dressier! It would be great if the other collections would include a silky/flat front bra as well.
-The bra cups release from the middle of the chest. That is a unique way to open a nursing bra and it is a little of a learning curve. The snaps/buttons are gorgeous, but difficult to unsnap with one hand which is preferable when trying to discretely unhook your bra and feed a wiggling baby. I am not sure if the placement of the snaps or the type of snaps or the combination is what makes unhooking difficult, but this was the biggest drawback.
-The brief. The fabric was not breathable enough for my tastes. Again, I tend to be a cotton gal, but am not against other fabrics if they still allow for circulation. It could have been the size not fabric. Which leads me to my biggest issue with the bottoms - size options! Don't forget about the big girls...especially after having a baby. Eight is the largest size in the bottoms and I know that could leave allot of my girlfriends out in the cold or at least with a pretty bra and nothing cute for their booty.
I learned about myself in trying out this lingerie. I really do feel prettier and sexier when wearing pretty, sexy lingerie under my clothes. I learned I can do something small (like wearing a sexy bra) and it can make a big impact on how I feel and act. I learned that it really does matter to your mate, even if he never mentions it. I joke that men don't really care what your underwear looks like on you, just how it looks on the floor, but when you go to the trouble of "fancy" lingerie, it makes him feel special and adds a little spice.
Let's just say my husband approved of me reviewing the Condesesa Cassandra lingerie. He had nothing but good things to say...
I am wondering if I have wandered into the land of TMI (Too Much Information) ...please forgive me if I have shared a little to much. We grown though, right ladies?
Anyone else tried any other breastfeeding lingerie? I would love to hear what other bras are maternal and sexy. If Tyra and Oprah can have bra and panty parties, so can we!
Every year we celebrate our anniversary (February 1) and Valentine's Day in one big shebang. This year was our first attempt to leave the Tizzle (8 month old and baby #3) and have a romantic dinner and after party (if you know what I mean) in an empty house.
I am a woman of my word and I promised that I would deliver a report, to you the readers of Mocha Milk, if the wonderful people behind Condessa Breastfeeding Lingerie sent me a set to try. Well, they found out that I was admiring their skivvies and sent me the beautiful Cassandra Seductive Sunset Brassiere and Brief Set for evaluation. I was in search of form and function. So keeping with my original post about Condessa, I have a list of SEXY - what I liked and GET BACK - what could use improvement.
SEXY
-Beautiful, vibrant color! Makes you feel happier and more beautiful. And I have to say, Sunset on brown skin - very nice. I am sure the other colors look just as good.
-Cotton-lined cups. The bra cups are lined with a soft, cotton fabric so the lace doesn't rub the nipples. Comfortable but undetectable to your man.
-Bra sizing seems to be pretty standard yet generous. Runs true to regular bra sizing.
-Jewel tone button snaps to release cups. I wasn't crazy about the function of them but the aesthetic was very pleasing. They looked like a pretty decoration not an access point, ya know?
-Very supportive! Several of you wrote me personally and said you might try Condessa even though you are hardcore underwire fans. I have only owned one underwire bra in my life but the Condessa Cassandra line bra supports like an underwire without the potential duct-plugging wire! It is supportive, lifting and separating without wires and I had no idea what I was missing.
GET BACK
-Lace bras under cotton shirts can be rather unsightly. Some mothers shy away from lacy bras for that very reason. So if you never wear anything but cotton t-shirts this bra might bother you. On the other hand, maybe it means you need to branch out and try something a little dressier! It would be great if the other collections would include a silky/flat front bra as well.
-The bra cups release from the middle of the chest. That is a unique way to open a nursing bra and it is a little of a learning curve. The snaps/buttons are gorgeous, but difficult to unsnap with one hand which is preferable when trying to discretely unhook your bra and feed a wiggling baby. I am not sure if the placement of the snaps or the type of snaps or the combination is what makes unhooking difficult, but this was the biggest drawback.
-The brief. The fabric was not breathable enough for my tastes. Again, I tend to be a cotton gal, but am not against other fabrics if they still allow for circulation. It could have been the size not fabric. Which leads me to my biggest issue with the bottoms - size options! Don't forget about the big girls...especially after having a baby. Eight is the largest size in the bottoms and I know that could leave allot of my girlfriends out in the cold or at least with a pretty bra and nothing cute for their booty.
I learned about myself in trying out this lingerie. I really do feel prettier and sexier when wearing pretty, sexy lingerie under my clothes. I learned I can do something small (like wearing a sexy bra) and it can make a big impact on how I feel and act. I learned that it really does matter to your mate, even if he never mentions it. I joke that men don't really care what your underwear looks like on you, just how it looks on the floor, but when you go to the trouble of "fancy" lingerie, it makes him feel special and adds a little spice.
Let's just say my husband approved of me reviewing the Condesesa Cassandra lingerie. He had nothing but good things to say...
I am wondering if I have wandered into the land of TMI (Too Much Information) ...please forgive me if I have shared a little to much. We grown though, right ladies?
Anyone else tried any other breastfeeding lingerie? I would love to hear what other bras are maternal and sexy. If Tyra and Oprah can have bra and panty parties, so can we!
Thursday, February 8, 2007
That's Some Pig!
I recently read the children's classic, Charlotte's Web with my children and went to see the new live action version of the movie. In the movie Charlotte, a common gray spider hopes to save her pig friend's life by showing the world what a wonderful pig Wilbur is. So she writes a message in her web describing Wilbur that says simply, "Some Pig".It wasn't extravagant or puffed up, just a simple statement of who Wilbur was.
As I mentioned last Friday, the Pork board wrote a C & D letter to the Lactivist to get her to remove a site from her Cafe Press website that said "the other white milk". The letter was harsh, implied that she was advocating human milk as some kind of fetish/sexual thing and more threatening than it needed to be.
I along with just about everyone else in the blogging world was soon sizzling about how these big piggies were handling themselves. Because of the blogging world buzz, the Lactivist's cool head and ability to wait, think and handle things professionally, she was issued a letter of apology from the National Pork Board and the employees of the National Pork Board will be making a donation, from their own pockets to The Mothers' Milk Bank of Ohio. I am glad it was her and not me to go through this ordeal. Had it been me, I think I would have had to have somebody hold my earrings and my baby, if you know what I mean.
She has asked everyone who wrote about the original incident to follow up with the happy ending here. Just as Charlotte's Web ends in Wilbur's life being saved (sorry if you haven't read the book or seen the movie), this has a happy ending for all: more money for a struggling non-profit milk bank, more publicity for milk banking and the Lactivist isn't going to jail. Okay, she wasn't ever in danger of jail, but she could have been looking at a lot of money spent and the headache of legal proceedings. And it is so nice to see a business, any business recognize their wrongs and take steps to make it right.
So while our family doesn't personally partake of the swine, I won't be mad at you for gettin' your BLT on...just pass me the turkey bacon and we can still be friends.
As I mentioned last Friday, the Pork board wrote a C & D letter to the Lactivist to get her to remove a site from her Cafe Press website that said "the other white milk". The letter was harsh, implied that she was advocating human milk as some kind of fetish/sexual thing and more threatening than it needed to be.
I along with just about everyone else in the blogging world was soon sizzling about how these big piggies were handling themselves. Because of the blogging world buzz, the Lactivist's cool head and ability to wait, think and handle things professionally, she was issued a letter of apology from the National Pork Board and the employees of the National Pork Board will be making a donation, from their own pockets to The Mothers' Milk Bank of Ohio. I am glad it was her and not me to go through this ordeal. Had it been me, I think I would have had to have somebody hold my earrings and my baby, if you know what I mean.
She has asked everyone who wrote about the original incident to follow up with the happy ending here. Just as Charlotte's Web ends in Wilbur's life being saved (sorry if you haven't read the book or seen the movie), this has a happy ending for all: more money for a struggling non-profit milk bank, more publicity for milk banking and the Lactivist isn't going to jail. Okay, she wasn't ever in danger of jail, but she could have been looking at a lot of money spent and the headache of legal proceedings. And it is so nice to see a business, any business recognize their wrongs and take steps to make it right.
So while our family doesn't personally partake of the swine, I won't be mad at you for gettin' your BLT on...just pass me the turkey bacon and we can still be friends.
Friday, February 2, 2007
We told ya'll pork was from the devil...
My family does not eat pork. I used to be a vegetarian (over 11 years) and quite frankly it makes me physically ill if I eat it now. My children know we do not eat meat and for the most part my sweetie doesn't partake of the swine either. Now, all of you that know about the Black Muslim faith, know that pork is just another way "The Man" tries to keep us down. And this my friends is the final proof. My girl, Jennifer at The Lactivist is being threatened by the National Pork Board.
Really? Have they nothing to do but threaten a mother with a hobby breastfeeding support blog?
I actually read the letter they sent to her and this is the part that really ticks me off:
"In addition, your use of this slogan also tarnishes the good reputation of the National Pork Board's mark in light of your apparent attempt to promote the use of breastmilk beyond merely for infant consumption,..."
What? Huh? So okay, fine we can breastfeed but God forbid you joke about it, have a good time or make a statement while doing it. My six year old could read those shirts and get the joke. She wouldn't think I was inviting grown men to take a sip! Give me a break. Besides, go to any mall and you'll see 15 teenagers wearing parody name brand slogan shirts that insinuate improper behavior. No one seems to care about that. Of course, why would pork want to be compared to something as healthy as breastfeeding? After all, breastfeeding is disgusting and dirty and needs to be covered, right? It's not FOOD! Oh, wait, it is food. For crying out loud!
Just another instance of the Devil (big PORK business) trying to keep us (in this case women) down.
They need to get a grip and get a life.
Peace.
Really? Have they nothing to do but threaten a mother with a hobby breastfeeding support blog?
I actually read the letter they sent to her and this is the part that really ticks me off:
"In addition, your use of this slogan also tarnishes the good reputation of the National Pork Board's mark in light of your apparent attempt to promote the use of breastmilk beyond merely for infant consumption,..."
What? Huh? So okay, fine we can breastfeed but God forbid you joke about it, have a good time or make a statement while doing it. My six year old could read those shirts and get the joke. She wouldn't think I was inviting grown men to take a sip! Give me a break. Besides, go to any mall and you'll see 15 teenagers wearing parody name brand slogan shirts that insinuate improper behavior. No one seems to care about that. Of course, why would pork want to be compared to something as healthy as breastfeeding? After all, breastfeeding is disgusting and dirty and needs to be covered, right? It's not FOOD! Oh, wait, it is food. For crying out loud!
Just another instance of the Devil (big PORK business) trying to keep us (in this case women) down.
They need to get a grip and get a life.
Peace.
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