Giving our bags out!

Hey all!  It's been a while, so I thought I'd update everyone on what we've been doing...

The Lake Mary Farmer's Market went well -- we gave out a few bags to pregnant women and talked about our mission with quite a few people.  It definitely was great spreading our message to people outside of the 'natural' birth community in Central Florida. 

My husband and I ran in Orlando's Race for the Cure, helping to bring awareness of the ways to prevent and detect breast cancer before it takes yet another life.  I finished with a clock time of 28:35 -- not terrible for my first 5K after my baby girl was born... especially considering I haven't really been training all that much... I think the last time I ran was two weeks ago!  I'll post pictures soon :)

Lastly, I spoke with Annie at our local IFAS extension and she's going to be giving out 25 of our bags!  Hoorah!  We even spoke about setting up a free seminar to debunk some of the myths that surround breastfeeding.  How cool would that be?!

Anyway, gotta run... hopefully I'll be able to post some cool pictures of the Farmer's Market and the Race soon!  Take care all!

Jen

The Farmer's Market and MORE Breast Cancer Awareness Advocacy

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who helped out with the Farmer's Market today.  We sold a few items, gave away a few bags to pregnant women (or people who knew them) and helped to spread awareness of our cause in Central Florida.... plus I got to spend a few hours outside during an absolutely gorgeous morning...

Seriously, it was a big success!  :)

I wanted to pop on here and remind people that we have beautiful handmade items for gifts.  Baby showers, Christmas presents, birthday gifts -- we have gorgeous, handmade burp cloths, bibs, blankets and onesies at fabulous prices.  Many of our items match and most can be custom-ordered (if you see a design and would like a matching blanket, bib, etc for a set).  Everything is handmade locally and almost everything is donated.  If you are interested, please let me know.  I can give you a list of places where we'll be or I can meet you somewhere and show you what we have in stock.

Thank you to everyone for your support.  Without our wonderful volunteers, supporters and cheerleaders, we wouldn't be able to accomplish our goals.

So, now I'll leave with another little factoid about breastfeeding...  We already mentioned that multiple studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer in moms... did you know that it also decreases the risk for it in girls who were breastfed as infants?

Women who were breastfed as infants, even if only for a short time, showed an approximate 25% lower risk of developing premenopausal or postmenopausal breast cancer, compared to women who were bottle-fed as an infant.
Source:  Freudenheim, J. "Exposure to breast milk in infancy and the risk of breast cancer."  Epidemiology 1994 5:324-331

Some other food for thought as this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month...  Help Prevent Breast Cancer -- BREASTFEED!

A study by Yale University researchers showed that women who breastfed for two years or longer reduced their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent.

Among both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, risk of breast cancer decrease with increasing duration of lifetime lactation experience although the effect was consistently stronger for premenopausal women.
Source:  McTieman, A., "Evidence of Protective Effect of Lactation on Risk of Breast Cancer in Young Women."  American Journal of Epidemiology, 1986

After controlling for age at first full term pregnancy and other potentially compounding factors, parity and duration of breast feeding also had a strong influence on the risk of breast cancer. Compared with parous women who never breast fed, women who had breast fed for 25 months or more had a lower relative risk.
Source:  Layde, P.M., "The Independent Associations of Parity Age at First full Term Pregnancy, and Duration of Breast Feeding with the Risk of Breast Cancer."  Journal of Clinical Epidemiol, 1989.

If women who do not breastfeed or who breastfed for less than 3 months were to do so for 4 to 12 months, breast cancer among parous premenopausal women could be reduce by 11%; if all women with children lactated for 24 months or longer, the incidence might be reduced by nearly 25%.
Source:  Newcomb,P. etal. "Lactation and reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer."  N Engl J Med 1994; 330(2):81-87.

An increasing duration of lactation was associated with a statistically significant trend toward a reduced risk of breast cancer.
Sources:  Newcomb, P.A. et al. 1994 Lactation and a reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer.  The New England Journal of Medicine 330(2):81-87. (P Byers T, et al. Lactation and breast cancer: evidence for a negative association in premenopausal women.  American Journal of Epidemiology Vol 121, pp664-74, 1985)

Siskind V, et al. Breast cancer and breastfeeding: results from and Australian case-control study.  American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 130, pp229-36, 1989

Lake Mary Farmer's Market and the debut of our bags!

We have two exciting thing to fill you all in on... The first is that our first Farmer's Market will be held October 9th at the Lake Mary Farmer's Market.  The time is from 9 to 1:30, but we'll be there by 8:30 setting up so stop by and say hello!

At this market we'll be unveiling a few new fundraising items...  We'll be selling our new onesies, water bottles, tote bags AND wool nursing pads (these things retail for no less than $7 a pair online, plus shipping)... plus we'll have our bumper stickers, magnets, blankets, compresses and other handmade crafts for sale.

Also, and this is very exciting, we'll be debuting our BAGS!  Obviously our bags will probably change in the future (with the addition of new items... potentially onesies... and sponsors), but this will be our bag that we're going to take to various doctor's offices, midwives and hospitals.  Come check out what it's going to include and pick one up for a pregnant friend!

Thanks for all your support!  With your help we can afford the incorporation and IRS fees to get ourselves a certified 501c3!!! 

New stuff on Etsy!

Hello everyone!  I just wanted to pop in and let you know that I have two new items up on Etsy...  note:  if you're in the Central Florida area and want one of these, the prices are lower if you buy them directly through me.  I have to increase the prices to cover the Etsy and PayPal fees... The compresses are $6.50 each (2 for $12) and the onesies are $18.

The first is our hot/cold compresses.  Great for all those aches, pains, bumps, bruises, owwies, boo-boos and burns...  especially great for nursing boobies!  Use it hot for relief from the pain of infections or mastitis or to help with let-down or clear clogged ducts... use it cold for engorgement or swelling.  They're all-natural and made with rice, whole flax and lavender buds (for a nice, relaxing smell).  They're 6" square, so they'll be small enough to be useful for years to come (on those little one's aches, pains and boo-boos).  Check out our compresses here:  Compress

The second are our Orlando Breastfeeding Bag Custom Onesies.  Hand-appliqued with embroidery -- our logo is cut out of eco-friendly felt and embroidered on to a onesie.  We have multiple sizes (plus tshirts or tank tops for older ones).  These are ridiculously adorable!!!  We can also add on custom lettering on the back (in fabric paint) with short sayings ("breast-fed") or your little one's name.  Check them out!

Custom Onesie


Take care all!  Enjoy!

New Items for Sale in our Etsy Shop!

Hey all, this is Jen popping in to let everyone know we've added three items to our fundraising Etsy shop!  We got our bumper stickers today and I must say, they look awesome! 

The three stickers are:  "Make Milk, Not War," "Breastfeeding.  It does a baby good." and "Veni Vidi Vici VBAC" (I successfully had my VBAC in February, so this issue is very near-and-dear to my heart).  I'll put up pictures in the post so everyone can see!  Hurry and buy one!  If you live in the Orlando area, we can arrange to meet somewhere so you can avoid shipping costs...

Have a great day,
Jen

A little bit about us...

I know there are many people coming to this blog who are wondering who we are, what we're doing and why we're doing it.  Allow me to fill you in on a few things...  

My name is Jennifer Vetere and I'm both the founder of The Orlando Breastfeeding Bag Project and a mom to two children -- including one nursing baby girl.  We are a grassroots effort based off of a project that began in Laramie, Wyoming. 

Who We Are: 

The Orlando Breastfeeding Bag Project is simply a group of volunteers who have banded together to help increase the breastfeeding rates in our home state of Florida.  We are moms, grandmothers, midwives, lactation consultants, business owners, sisters, daughters, husbands, sons, all coming together for a common goal.  While we are a true non-profit (all proceeds from fundraisers or donations will be put towards achieving our goals), as of the current date we are not a 501(c)3 charity.  We have a goal to raise funds to cover the costs of incorporation and the IRS filing fee for a charity (those two things alone will total close to $1,000) and be an IRS-certified non-profit by 2011.

What We Are Doing: 

Many mothers have always found it a little odd to be handed a bag filled with formula upon giving birth while the doctors advise breastfeeding -- it seemed like a striking contradiction.  As there is no debate anymore as to the supremacy of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, we are looking to partner with our local hospitals, doctor's offices, midwives, and WIC to provide an alternative to the traditional formula bags -- a true breastfeeding support bag.

Our mission is to educate, support and encourage new mothers to breastfeed long-term through the distribution of free 'welcome bags' in our local hospitals and doctor's offices.   These bags will be created using only funds from fundraiser or donations, will support and encourage breastfeeding mothers with accurate information and include only local, natural, and breastfeeding-supportive information, coupons and samples.  Our main, ongoing goal is to ensure that every mother who gives birth in the Central Florida area receives one of our bags for free -- these bags will include educational materials and local resources along with free samples, coupons, discount codes and other supportive items like water bottles, nursing pads, onesies, and hot/cold compresses.  We are filling our bags with a variety of local, natural and pro-breastfeeding companies to help showcase the wide variety of helpful items that are currently available to new mothers.

Why We Are Doing It

We, as a society, have a few things backwards.  Couples will spend hundreds of dollars on preparing for birth -- hiring doulas, taking classes, reading books -- when it is something your body will do whether you're ready or not (see the numerous examples of women giving birth in cars, assisted only by slightly frightened spouses or police officers).  However, we spend almost no time learning or preparing to breastfeed.  Unlike giving birth, breastfeeding is a learned behavior.  It takes time, dedication and support for both the mother and the baby to learn -- position, technique and latch are so crucial to breastfeeding pain-free.  We feel so many breastfeeding relationships are terminated early because of inadequate support (or knowledge about the support available to them) or education -- it can be frustrating in the first few weeks when you're dealing with sleep deprivation unless you have an amazing support system.  Instead of giving the mothers an easy out (which is what a can of free formula is), we're dedicated to giving mommas the necessary support, guidance and encouragement to successfully breastfeed.

Currently, Florida is one of the lowest rated states in regards to breastfeeding rates.  According to the CDC's 2009 Breastfeeding Report Card, only 75.7% of new moms ever breastfeed their child and the rates drop to 37.2% at 6 months (only 11.9% exclusively) and 18.2% at 12 months.  Only 30.7% are exclusively breastfeeding at three months.  These statistics point to Florida as being in the bottom third of states when it comes to breastfeeding rates in four of the five categories.  Needless to say, Florida failed to reach the Healthy People 2010 goals the CDC put forth (75% initially breastfeeding, 50% breastfeeding at 6 months and 25% breastfeeding at 12 months).  

The US Surgeon General advocates exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months and both UNICEF and the WHO advocate breastfeeding for at least 2 years.  The AAP advocates breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months.  There is no debate among doctors and healthy advocacy groups as to the best way to feed infants and numerous studies have come out showing the short and long-term health benefits for mothers and their breastfed infants.  The journal Pediatrics has estimated that if 90% of Americans breastfeed their infants for 6 months over 900 baby's lives and billions of dollars in health care costs would be saved (around $13 billion).  A 2001 study estimated that $3.6 billion could be saved if 50% breastfed their infants.  While many continue to believe that breastfeeding is simply a lifestyle choice, doctors are trying to spread the message that it's a public health issue.

Why does it save lives and reduce health care costs?  Studies have shown that if 100 more women breastfeed a total of 12 months in their life, 1 case of diabetes will be prevented (in the mother)... if 125 more women breastfeed a total of 12 months, 1 case of heart disease will be prevented.  In mothers, studies show a decreased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, postpartum depression (and if they do get it, it is shorter and less severe), breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis.  Among the infants, studies show a decreased risk of eye infections, stomach infections, respiratory infections, diarrheal infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, diabetes, asthma, allergies, obesity, SIDS, childhood leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and more.  Breastfeeding helps strengthen the immune system and it is easier for infants to digest than cow's milk, reducing the likelihood of reflux and gas.

Mothers who breastfeed will miss less work (as their infant is sick less), thereby reducing the cost and strain on companies  Families will save money both on health care costs (their children don't go to the doctors as often) and formula costs (which can reach $1,500 a year for powdered formula).  The environment also benefits from more mothers breastfeeding as well.  Breastfeeding creates no landfill waste nor does it contribute to pollution through manufacturing or transportation.  

So many people ask us 'why'?  We ask them "why not?"  It saves lives, reduces health care costs, benefits businesses, families and the environment... why wouldn't we help more mothers successfully breastfeed?