Protected: The New Baby Guide 2021 Edition (for Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Newborn)
The New Baby Guide 2021 Edition (for Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Newborn)
Expecting? Have a new baby?
Thousands told us what they wanted in a pregnancy, newborn, postpartum, baby-feeding, baby-sleep, and baby-gear guide and everything they wished they had known before having their baby.
Listening to what our fans told us what every parent needed when expecting or had a new baby, we created first edition of The Leaky Boob New Baby Guide and it is the guide of our dreams. But don’t take our word for it, here’s what Kathleen McCue, PhD, CNM, IBCLC had to say about TLB’s guide:
“Single best guide currently available to new families. Honest, concise, informative and all around fun to read! Refreshing to have such a valuable resource by those truly in-the-know.”
At just $1.99, you can get your copy and support The Leaky Boob and see for yourself.
Not convinced? Keep scrolling for a preview of The Leaky Boob 2021 New Baby Guide.
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The Leaky Boob 2021 New Baby Guide is a resource for first-time-parents and new-parents-again with checklists, vital conversations to have for partners and with your health care provider, family, work place, and more. The guide provides information as a jumping off point of what collectively hundreds of parents shared they wish they had known before having a baby. With sections on pregnancy, newborn, postpartum, feeding, sleep, and gear, our guide covers the essentials of having a new baby.
Plus exclusive discount codes!
Ready to get your 2021 New Baby Guide?
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Tools such as our checklists, vital conversations, and product recommendations support you in making sure you have the important conversations and items you need for your new baby with expert information.
Get The Leaky Boob New Baby Guide here.
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The Leaky Boob New Baby Guide gets real about aspects of having a new baby nobody ever talks about, like postpartum bleeding, normal newborn behavior, normal sleep, body changes in pregnancy and postpartum, difficulties with breastfeeding, postpartum mood disorders, and so much more.
Think TLB’s New Baby Guide is for you? Don’t miss it! Download your digital copy now.
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Practical must-know information, realistic expectations, and tips from the most experienced parents just like you, The Leaky Boob 2021 New Baby Guide shares what thousands of parents told us they wish they had known before having baby without overwhelming you with boring irrelevant information.
See why our guide has received rave reviews and get yours here today!
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The Leaky Boob 2021 New Baby Guide supports new parents in preparing for their new baby not only with information but with vital conversations and checklists of what is really important to prepare when having a new baby.
What do thousands wish they had known when having a new baby? Find out here.
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The Leaky Boob New Baby Guide can’t tell you the best products for you and your baby but we can tell you some of our favorites and why without overwhelming you with options.
Don’t miss out on our favorite products!
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Don’t wait, get your 2021 New Baby Guide here today!
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Want to help us continue producing content and resources to support families? Join our Patreon for even more access.
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TLB’s First Ever Newborn and Postpartum Summit
Newborn and Postpartum Summit
A totally free event with say-it-like-it-is conversation about the newborn and postpartum stage featuring guest experts and The Leaky Boob’s New Baby Guide.
This completely free summit event is made possible by the generous support of GooseWaddle, My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear, Charlie Banana, Pura Stainless, Andaluz Waterbirth Center, Bets & Emy, Crane USA, and TWELVElittle.
Enter the giveaway at the end of this post before December 1st for your chance to win some of our favorite products from the sponsoring brands.
Guest speakers:
Rebecca Michi, Children’s Sleep Consultant
Dominique Gallo, IBCLC, Doula
Sue Potts, CNM
Angela Campos, Child Injury Safety Expert, RN, CPST
Victoria Strong, CPST
Laura Brown, LE, CPST, Babywearing Educator, Postpartum Doula
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The summit featured 4 livestreams on The Leaky Boob Facebook Page, and they’re all gathered here for your convenience:
Newborn Behavior: Sleep and Feeding- The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit
The dreaded “is she a GOOD baby?” is almost always really about sleeping and feeding and crying. But are babies really even capable of being “bad?”
Is my baby supposed to do THAT? Is it ok he wants to feed ALL the time? Whoever said “sleep like a baby” hasn’t met my baby- will she ever sleep? Is that even normal?
What is normal anyway?
Down to earth, this first livestream in The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit debunks the “good baby/bad baby” myth with a realistic look at normal newborn behavior when it comes to sleep and feeding.
Postpartum Recovery and Healing- The Leaky Boob New Baby and Postpartum Summit
Why do they smash on your belly after you give birth? What’s with the no baths rule? Why does your bleeding change color?
Certified Nurse Midwife Sue Potts fills us in on the postpartum recovery process explaining what’s happening in our bodies, what we need to fully heal, and what to expect with your care provider.
The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit features 4 livestreams with different guests in one day taking an honest look at the newborn and postpartum period. Host and TLB founder Jessica Martin-Weber is joined by her best friend, Sue Potts, CNM to tell you about the wonders of perineal ice packs, what’s really behind the no baths rule, and more about postpartum healing and recovery.
Newborn Safety and Gear- The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit
Have you ever asked “is that safe?” What’s the most common injury for babies? How do you know you pick the right car seat? What hidden dangers am I missing to keep my baby safe?
Child Injury Prevention Expert, Angela Campos, RN, CPST and Baby Gear Concierge, Victoria Strong, CPST join host and TLB founder, Jessica Martin-Weber for The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit. Hear what safety products are worth investing in and get guidance in what baby products you really need, what’s nice to have, and what you can probably skip.
The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit features 4 livestreams with different guests in one day taking an honest look at the newborn and postpartum period. Host and TLB founder Jessica Martin-Weber is joined by two long-time Leakies and safety experts to discuss gear and safety for the Newborn.
What Postpartum is REALLY Like- The Leaky Boob New Baby and Postpartum Summit
The first pee and poop after having a baby… what’s it REALLY like? How long does the bleeding last? Did you know about the night sweats? Or why you may want to hold on to those maternity clothes long after giving birth?
Postpartum Doula Laura Brown is our special guest for an honest-to-goodness-hold-nothing-back discussion about what postpartum is REALLY like. Giving it to you like it is, you might just laugh so hard you’ll pee yourself.
The 4th livestream in The Leaky Boob Newborn and Postpartum Summit, host and TLB founder Jessica Martin-Weber is joined by Laura Brown with real-talk about our bodies and lives after having a baby. With 13 children between them plus many more they’ve supported through birth work, doula support, breastfeeding support, and more, Laura and Jessica draw from experience to be sure nothing about the postpartum period takes you by surprise.
If for some reason the videos aren’t playing for you here, you can follow these links to watch them on Facebook:
Newborn Behavior: Sleep and Feeding
Postpartum Recovery and Healing
What Postpartum is REALLY Like
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Here’s the giveaway! Ends December 1, 2020.
Virtual Baby Shower Giveaway 2020
by Jessica Martin-Weber
This post made possible by GooseWaddle
When I was expecting my first baby I lived over a thousand miles from my parents and most of my friends and knew very few people where I lived. With a difficult pregnancy, I felt very isolated and alone during my pregnancy and in many ways cut off from those I knew and loved with the exception of my husband. Near the end of my pregnancy but early enough I could still travel, I was able to go to my parents for a baby shower but due to work schedules and financial constraints I had to go alone. I wanted desperately to share and celebrate our new baby with friends and family but obstacle after obstacle made that difficult to do all together. After I gave birth, my mother came and visited but there was never an opportunity for even some of the people in our lives to be together with us to enjoy our sweet girl.
Years later when I was expecting again, we were even farther from many of our friends and family. We had moved, many of them had moved, and there was a global crisis with the coronavirus pandemic that made traveling a dangerous option. The distance that separated us all was magnified by the pandemic. Thankfully, technology had created other ways to connect. Zoom, Facebook meet, and other platforms were used daily for school, work, and yes, even baby showers.
See our virtual baby shower planning guide here and get our free downloadable checklist to help you out!
Having a baby during a global crisis like a pandemic can be stressful, isolating, and an overwhelming experience. I struggled to hold onto my joy about my coming baby and grieved the loss of many aspects of having a new baby even as I was grateful I wasn’t grieving the loss of loved ones to COVID-19. Holding that tension of gratitude during what should be a happy time overshadowed by stress and uncertainty was difficult. My best friend who had been at my previous 3 births couldn’t make it here for this one, our family couldn’t travel, there would be no gathering and cake to introduce her to everyone, and no late pregnancy day out with friends.
But we could FaceTime, Zoom call, and Facebook meet.
Here’s a guide to help you be mindful on how you can introduce your new baby safely while social distancing.
For many, in person get togethers are more challenging, pandemic or not. We move more often for education and work, our schedules are more busy, we have more community online than ever, and too often we are socially distanced from those we would share and celebrate major life events with. Including announcing, introducing, and celebrating our new family members.
(Are you social distancing and pregnant? Here’s what you need to know.)
From a virtual pregnancy announcement to a virtual baby shower, connecting with our people across time zones and distance isn’t only possible, it can be ideal. Whether you’re sharing with just a few close family members or a large circle of online friends there are so many possibilities. Your big kids can be virtually present for a prenatal appointment to hear the heartbeat or see belly mapping, your parents may join via FaceTime for an ultrasound, your best friend could help you craft your baby registry over Zoom, and your sister-in-law could throw you a baby shower… all from the other side of town or the other side of the world.
You can even invite people to your birth (up to you!) thanks to online streaming options- we did!
(You can watch here.)
We’re throwing a virtual baby shower of our own… for everyone! We’ll show off our own new baby, share tips and planning resources, and have lots of gifts to give others thanks to some incredible sponsors that want to help us all have a virtually wonderful time celebrating our little ones.
Looking for a fun way to virtually announce your pregnancy? See these ideas from My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear.
Thanks to GooseWaddle and our other sponsors for wanting to help make this time special for our family and yours and for helping us offer other virtual opportunities. Be looking for more info on the Virtual Newborn and Postpartum summit, a virtual breastfeeding class, supportive partner workshop, and more.
Join us for The Leaky Boob Virtual Baby Shower, Thursday, August 14, 2020, 11am Pacific.
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Our first listings to give away are products from our featured sponsor, GooseWaddle!
Five lucky winners will get the chance to win one of these products:
The Knit Blanket ($30) is a perfect welcome gift for a new baby. Designed in the softest fabrics it gets softer and softer with each use. Winner’s choice of lavender, pink, blue, white, or grey. Made with 100% Polyester and is 30″ x 40″
The Basil Bear Appliqué Baby Blanket ($45) is oh-so-soft and the perfect welcome gift for a new baby. Double sided featuring a little bear playing with a butterfly and a leafy green pattern on the other side. Designed in the softest pile fabric with just the right amount of fill – and sure to be the ooh-ahh item at the next shower! Made with 100% Polyester and is 2 ply 30″ x 40″
Elegantly designed 2 Pack Receiving Blanket ($40) in a lightweight jersey as soft as your favorite tee. Perfect for swaddling, nursing, warming, burping, wiping, tummy time or a carrier cover, as needed. The 2pk set features a character with sentimental saying and a coordinating allover pattern. Made with 100% Polyester jersey and dimensions are 30″ x 40″
Made with the softest silicone and natural oak wood this Teether ($25) is perfect for soothing those sore gums. An easy to fasten clasp this teether can be snapped to any bib or piece of clothing ensuring it is available when needed. Winner’s choice of lavender, pink, blue, or green. It’s total length comes to 7.5″
Our new bear plush just sits quietly… ready to snuggle! Our newest GooseWaddle Super Soft Plush Bear – Basil ($40) is super squishy soft and perfect for any nursery! Designed with slim legs, easy to grab ears and embroidered features for safe playtime fun, our new bear plush sits quietly… ready to snuggle! Made with 100% polyester and it 15″ while sitting.
GooseWaddle is also offering a coupon to their whole site! Get 30% off by using their code: BABY
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Up next we have items from our friends at My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear, Pura Stainless, and Bets & Emy to give away but before we jump right in we want to take a moment and thank Andaluz Waterbirth Center for sponsoring this upcoming livestream. They’ve been here for me for the past two pregnancies and I can’t thank them enough for all that they’ve done for me!
To join us in celebrating all babies tune in for The Leaky Boob Virtual Baby Shower on Thursday, August 14, 2020, 11am Pacific.
My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear: 8 kits, 8 winners
The Rainbow Keepsake Kit ($44.99) includes a 13-15″ Heartbeat Animal of winners’ choice, an easy-to-use heart-shaped recorder, and a beautiful rainbow themed box. Customize your kit with a rainbow bow tie, rainbow tutu, or both for an extra special reveal.
Pura Stainless: Gift Set, choice of 5 oz or 11 oz
The Kiki 50z Starter Set ($44.99) is recommended for infants 0-18 months old. This set contains two 5oz infant bottles with silicone sleeves and Slow-Flow Natural Vent Nipples™, plus additional components. Comes with an aqua color sleeve and winner’s choice of green, pink, or grey for the second bottle.
The Kiki 11oz Starter Set ($49.99), recommended for infants between 3-18 months, includes two 11oz infant bottles with silicone sleeves and Medium-Flow Natural Vent Nipples™, plus additional components. Comes with an aqua color sleeve and winner’s choice of green, pink, or grey for the second bottle.
Bets & Emy: 3 boxes of 720 Baby Wipes
Bets & Emy wipes contain just 99.9% water & 0.1% citrus extract, with no fragrances, oils or parabens. Winner will receive 3 boxes of 720 wipes (12 packs of 60 in each which is about $47 worth of Bets & Emy wipes).
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Next up we have:
Crane: a Droplet Humidifier that includes a Vapor Pad Tray, and a Top Fill Humidifier
The Droplet Humidifier ($44.99) creates an ultrasonic cool mist which increases moisture in the air for easier breathing and a good night’s sleep. It’s capable of effectively humidifying small and medium rooms up to 500 square feet. And now it comes with a new feature, a Vapor Pad Tray!
The mist output of the Top Fill Humidifier ($69.99) runs for over 24-hours in a large size room and it works as a diffuser for essential oils and vapor liquids. Crane’s top fill ultrasonic cool mist humidifier and aromatherapy diffuser provides up to 500 sq. ft. of coverage and 24 hours of soothing moisture to help relieve the effects of dryness and congestion, helping you and your family to breathe easy and sleep through the night peacefully.
Überlube: 50 ml Bottle to each winner, 10 winners
High-end luxury lubricant. Instead of just being slippery, Überlube (50 ml bottle: $18) is designed to transfer sensation while reducing friction. It feels amazingly silky and performs as long as you’re using it. When Überlube stops being manipulated, it starts to dissipate, leaving skin soft and moisturized, never wet or sticky.
Loloma: Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Nature’s Purest Moisturizer does more than just moisturize, this soothing Loloma ($32) is a lullaby in a lotion. Our naturally processed pure virgin coconut oil has a light scent and is refined with a highly absorbant texture that leaves your skin highly nourished and velvety smooth. Coconut oil is a total multi-tasker – add to a bath soak, apply it to your hair as a mask, or use it on your cuticles to replenish lost moisture from hand-washing. 100% organic, free of harmful chemicals, it’s coconut oil in its purest form.
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And last but not least:
Contours Baby:
one Cocoon Buckle-Tie Carrier ($79.99), winner’s choice of 3 styles
Milkies, by Fairhaven Health:
Milkies Milk-Saver, Milkies Milk-Saver On-The-Go, and Milkies Milk Trays (total retail value: $66), 3 winners get all 3 products
Bamboobies:
Washable Nursing Pads and Drink Mixes: Energy Boost and Lactation Support (total retail value: $33), 3 winners get all 3 products
Will I Livestream My Next Birth?
A letter from Jessica Martin-Weber, founder of The Leaky Boob, mom of 7 with baby no. 8 on the way, and two-time birth live-streamer.
Find the short answer here.
I love this photo. It was just as we got home from a midwife appointment this past week and the first beautiful day we’d had in a while. My husband knit that top for me and I genuinely felt relaxed and pretty for the first time in months after nothing but good news during the appointment. I have struggled to stay connected to the joy of having a new baby as financial and COVID-19 stress has felt crushing. But I was happy here, full of joy and relief. Like I could celebrate a little. Coronavirus meant no maternity pics, no outings with my partner to get ready for the baby, no going to the store even to get a new outfit just for this little one (a ritual I’ve had with each of our babies). COVID-19 took those things and this was as good of a maternity photo sesh as I am going to get with this baby (and not bad, right? He took it on my iPhone and I love it.)
But right, what you’re really wanting to know: will I livestream BB8’s birth?
In 2012 I livestreamed the birth of my 6th baby onto The Leaky Boob website. Then, in 2017 we did it again with our 7th baby. We’ve had a lot of questions about if we’re going to do that again with this one.
My intent with livestreaming both of those births was to normalize birth and show how birth can be different from the mainstream media’s most common depictions.
You can read more about that decision by clicking here.
I have been on the fence about doing so again since getting the positive pregnancy test this time. After sharing 2 very different births with the world in real time and opening myself and my family up in that incredibly vulnerable way, I wasn’t sure I was up for doing so again. But then I’d think about how each of my births have been drastically different and I want to normalize birth in all the ways it occurs.
Indecision haunted me. I’d change my mind on an almost daily basis.
Then COVID-19.
I was too overwhelmed to even think about having a baby let alone livestreaming the birth. Putting any energy into thinking about it was the last thing on my list of priorities so I didn’t.
We announced the pregnancy at the end of March when I started showing.
Several people sent me messages thanking us for sharing our last two births, detailing how watching me birth gave them courage for their own births. How sharing my births with their own children helped them prepare their children for the birth of a sibling. Opened up about how there was healing for them in watching my births. And more. It was moving and inspiring. Still is.
I began to entertain the idea again.
The first birth we livestreamed in 2012 wasn’t a distraction for me but in 2017 concerns about camera position, technical difficulties, and other issues would pull me out of my brain space for labor and birth. Concerned about that happening again, we brainstormed options to be sure it wasn’t intrusive to the birth experience should we choose to livestream BB8’s birth. We talked with friends and our midwives, polled our monthly supporters on Patreon, and considered different ideas.
When people would ask I’ve either avoided answering or responded with a vague “we’re taking a wait and see approach.”
And here we are. Honestly, I thought I’d have given birth by now and the decision would be made for me in some way. But here I am still pregnant and somehow in a place to really think about it more over the last week. (No I’m not going to share how far along I am or my due date, I never do.)
Yes, the plan is that we will be livestreaming this birth.
But we’ve decided that the work and effort that goes into doing so, the risk we take putting ourselves out there like that, the incredible vulnerability and exposure of our family, home, my body, etc. has to give back to us too. Things have changed drastically and thanks to COVID-19 I won’t get any kind of paid maternity leave… not even a little. I fully expect to work the day after I give birth because, well, life.
We’ve shared 2 births freely, dealt with the trolls that come with that, provided free education for millions in doing so, and opened ourselves to all kinds of questioning and second guessing. It is invasive long after the birth but also beautiful and powerful long after too. I’ve never regretted livestreaming our births even when some aspects of doing so fatigued me.
Those births remain up and accessible for free for anyone that would care to view them.
You can watch the 2012 video by clicking here
And you can watch the 2017 video by clicking here
With all that in mind, this time we will be putting the birth behind a paywall. There will be two different ways to participate in viewing the birth: Patreon supporters (who also receive accesses to exclusive content and will be the first to see birth photos, etc.) and one-time-donation access.
If you are a member of The Leaky Boob/We’re All Human Here circle of support on Patreon, you will have access to the birth livestream (with two static cameras set up in the two main spaces we will use for labor and birth). An email will be sent out automatically to our supporters once I’m in labor with the private access link and directions as well as a post in the private access Patreon. Our two eldest daughters will be live blogging the labor and birth in a chat window on the private link as well and our 19yo will be doing short livestreams directly to The Leaky Boob Facebook with little glimpses of what’s going on and interviews with her sisters and the midwives throughout the labor.
The same access will be available (without the access to the exclusive content also available on our Patreon) for those who make a donation for a “ticket” here.
Want to contribute for someone else to be able to view but is unable to due to financial hardship? See here.
I understand some will be disappointed that we are making the birth livestream paid access only, please know I have weighed this heavily. The cost to be able to livestream (and have it not crash our website, etc.) and the time investment (last time I spent days and days after the birth cleaning up troll comments and that was 3 different people moderating them during the birth too) is enough to give us pause as it is. The reality that we are giving so much of ourselves for free at a time when there’s been a huge shift in our family’s income is one we can’t dismiss.
I hope you can understand. I love birth, I love educating and advocating for families, I love making resources accessible. These are deep passions of mine. Sadly, these deep passions don’t pay so well but they do require a lot from me and from my family. I need this to give back and in a way that is going to make a difference for my family as well.
At the moment, if you want to be sure you do not miss the birth livestream, you will need to be a member of The Leaky Boob/We’re All Human Here Patreon here (with additional exclusive content- birth photos will be released on Patreon first, etc.), or make a one time gift back to TLB (suggested minimum donation of $12) here. My desire is to support everyone who wants my support in their pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding journeys and beyond, I just need that to also support my family.
If you are not already a member of The Leaky Boob circle of support Patreon and you want to be sure you don’t miss out on the birth, join by clicking here.
I am looking forward to sharing another birth with you. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer.
With all of my heart and deepest gratitude,
Jessica Martin-Weber
Founder, The Leaky Boob and We’re All Human Here Co-Founder
Several have asked for a way to make a direct gift as a way to give back for the support of The Leaky Boob (without getting access to BB8’s live-streamed birth) For those who would like to give a direct gift with no fees taken out:
Venmo is Jessica Martin-Weber
Paypal is ochantelle@yahoo.com
Please know that there is no obligation or expectation that anyone do so and I am committed to keeping The Leaky Boob free of charge in supporting families.
Looking for more support? Sign up for our emails here and join our private group here.
You, Your Baby, Breastfeeding, and COVID-19
by Jessica Martin-Weber
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The Leaky Boob is committed to providing free information, support, and community. You can be a part of making that possible by joining our circle of support. Any amount makes a difference.
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Friends, your baby has the right to breastfeed if that is what you were planning to do, want to do, and are able to do.
Not even COVID-19 should stop that from happening.
Even if you test positive for coronavirus.
Even if a health care provider insists that you should be separated from your baby for your baby’s health.
Overwhelmingly, evidence supports that if you are well enough to hold your baby, you are well enough to breastfeed even when you test positive for COVID-19.
(If you are not well enough to hold your baby, you still deserve to be supported in breastfeeding- see here as to how that can be possible).
** See this collection of resources of research on breastfeeding and COVID-19, what you need to know, what health care providers need to know, how you can advocate for you and your baby and more. We will be adding to it as materials become available.**
We’ve heard from a number of families who are being told they have to separate from their baby at the time of birth if they test positive. Even if they are not symptomatic. Even if they are able to mask and care for their baby following the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the CDC (in the USA), and other major health organizations.
After giving birth is an incredibly vulnerable time and it can be difficult to advocate for yourself and your baby in the immediate hours and days following your baby’s birth. Having a plan and communicating that with your health care team and support person can go a long way in making that easier. Being aware of current recommendations and evidence-based practices as well as being informed on your birth facility’s protocols will allow you to better advocate for you and your baby.
The following is for those in the USA who are COVID-19 positive and physically able to provide care and breastfeed their baby.
Communicate your wishes to breastfeed even if you are CV19+ with your health care provider BEFORE giving birth if possible and request that it be included in your chart even if you do not test positive. It may be helpful to reference the WHO and CDC recommendations (included in the document linked here) and request that they be included in your chart as well. For example ask that something like this be charted:
“Patient has communicated that breastfeeding is a priority according to the recommendations of the CDC and WHO and requests lactation support regardless of patient’s COVID-19 status at time of birth.”
Current recommendations from the World Health Organization encourage breastfeeding and skin-to-skin when the lactating parent is COVID-19 as the best available protection for the infant with the parent wearing a mask and practicing good hand hygiene (and doing so for the chest area as well).
Current recommendations from the CDC are vague at best, conflicting and confusing at worst. Hospitals are given quite a bit of autonomy in determining their protocols and there’s a wide range of interpretations of the CDC recommendations. Key in their recommendations (updated as of May 20, 2020) is this: “…the risks and benefits of temporary separation of the mother from her baby should be discussed with the mother by the healthcare team, and decisions about temporary separation should be made in accordance with the mother’s wishes.”
So what do you do if you give birth, are COVID-19 positive, and are told that separation from your infant is mandatory?
First, remember that nobody can take your baby from you without your permission without reasonable cause. You have the right to refuse to comply with protocols and practices with which you do not agree or understand. You have the right and responsibility to understand what is being recommended for the health of your child and the evidence for those recommendations. You have the right and responsibility to ask questions until you are satisfied and have the understanding you need. You have the right and responsibility to make fully informed consent in the health care decisions of you and your child. You have the right to make decisions about your child’s health care without bullying, coercion, or threats.
If you are told that your health care facility’s protocols require separation and no direct breastfeeding (pumping only), ask to speak to your child’s doctor directly, tell them you want to work together with them for the health and well-being of your new baby, that you want to understand exactly what is being recommended and why, and inquire why the WHO recommendations are not being followed.
Listen respectfully as they explain.
Then communicate clearly that you wish to follow current evidence-based recommendations to breastfeed directly and will practice good hand and chest hygiene and wear a mask but that it is your intent to breastfeed your baby according to the WHO recommendations on breastfeeding and COVID-19 positive status.
If you are told that the institution does not follow the WHO recommendations, you may want to point out that the CDC clearly states “…decisions about temporary separation should be made in accordance with the mother’s wishes.”
If you are again told separation is mandatory, you may find it helpful to say that you appreciate their concern for you and your child’s well-being but that you do not consent to separation based on current evidence-based recommendations to breastfeed.
If you are told that they will call CPS, you may want to state: “I would like it charted that you, Doctor/Nurse _____________ have said that CPS would be called on me if I followed the recommendations from the WHO and CDC regarding separation of the breastfeeding pair in the case of CV19+ status and that this institution would not support me in following current evidence-based recommendations regarding breastfeeding during the coronavirus pandemic.” Asking for this to be in our chart is protective for both you and the health care team. Documentation is very important. Maintaining your own documentation is also important should things escalate. Hopefully that won’t be the case but it is wise to be prepared.
If things continue to escalate, it may be time to reach out to seek legal counsel.
As much as this is a vulnerable time and there’s a lot happening in the body postpartum, as much as possible, remaining calm and non-combative is helpful. Keep in mind that information is changing rapidly and protocols are often decided by hospital administration rather than the actual care providers. The majority of healthcare professionals are just trying to help others as best they know how and may have been given no say in the hospital policies. Attacking them rarely is beneficial and could cost you an influential ally.
You and your baby should be together and evidence supports that. Should you find yourself dealing with a situation of mandatory separation at birth due to COVID-19 status, please know that all evidence supports that you and your baby should be together, have skin-to-skin, and breastfeed. You are the best person to advocate for your baby and your baby needs to be with you.
For an ever growing list of resources and information on breastfeeding and COVID-19 including studies, health organization recommendations, and more, please see this list. We will be adding resources as they become available so check back frequently.
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If this resource was helpful for you, consider helping The Leaky Boob by giving back. Help us keep our information, support, and resources free by becoming a patron and get access to exclusive content just for our supporters. Join here today.
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Drawing from a diverse background in the performing arts and midwifery, Jessica Martin-Weber supports women and families, creating spaces for open dialogue. Writer and speaker, Jessica is the creator of TheLeakyBoob.com, co-creator of wereallhumanhere.com, freelance writer, and co-founder of Milk: An Infant Feeding Conference. Jessica lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest and co-parents her 8 daughters with her husband of 23 years.
Breastfeeding and COVID-19 Research and Resources
Updated June 19, 2020
Compiled by The Leaky Boob, theleakyboob.com, Facebook.com/TheLeakyBoob
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This resource list is an evolving work in progress. If you are aware of some resources or materials that should be included, please comment with the link.
Health Organizations Recommended Practices and Protocols:
Considerations for Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Evaluation and Management Considerations for Neonates At Risk for COVID-19 – Caring for Newborns
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
“…the risks and benefits of temporary separation of the mother from her baby should be discussed with the mother by the healthcare team, and decisions about temporary separation should be made in accordance with the mother’s wishes.”
Breastfeeding advice during the COVID-19 outbreak
- WHO (World Health Organization)
ABM STATEMENT ON CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19)
- ABM (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine)
Pregnancy, childbirth and caring for newborns: Advice for mothers during COVID-19
- Public Health Agency of Canada
Clinical Management of COVID-19
- WHO (World Health Organization)
Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies, including COVID-19
- United States Breastfeeding Committee
Pregnancy, Birth, and Breastfeeding and COVID-19 Specific Resources:
SARS‐CoV‐2 and human milk: What is the evidence?
- Wiley Online Library
- Kimberly A. Lackey, Ryan M. Pace, Janet E. Williams, Lars Bode, Sharon M. Donovan, Kirsi M Järvinen, Antti E. Seppo, Daniel J. Raiten, Courtney L. Meehan, Mark A. McGuire, Michelle K. McGuire
New Studies Investigate How COVID-19 May Impact Breast Milk and Pregnancy
- University of California San Diego School of Medicine – Michelle Brubaker
- The Lancet
- Huijun Chen, PhD – Juanjuan Guo, MS – Chen Wang, PhD – Fan Luo, PhD – Xuechen Yu, MD – Prof Wei Zhang, PhD – Prof Jiafu Li, MS – Prof Dongchi Zhao, PhD – Dan Xu, MS – Qing Gong, MS – Jing Liao, PhD – Prof Huixia Yang, MD – Prof Wei Hou, PhD – Prof Yuanzhen Zhang, BS
Antibodies in Infants Born to Mothers With COVID-19 Pneumonia
- Jama Network
- Hui Zeng, MD – Chen Xu, BS – Junli Fan, MD – Yueting Tang, PhD – Qiaoling Deng, MD – Wei Zhang, MD, PhD – Xinghua Long, MD, PhD
- Bryna Sampey
Skin-to-Skin Care and COVID-19: downloadable file
- Wiley Online Library
- Riccardo Davanzo – Guide Moro – Fabrizio Sandri – Massimo Agosti – Corrado Moretti – Fabio Mosca
COVID-19, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: What We Know Is Reassuring
- Helpful blog post with compilation of materials explained
Mother-Infant Contact and Breastfeeding Should Remain Top Priorities during COVID-19
- John Hopkins Nursing, Dr. Cecília Tomori
Breastfeeding, Separation, and COVID-19 Specific Resources:
When Separation is not the Answer: Breastfeeding Mothers and Infants affected by COVID‐19
- Wiley Online Library
- Cecilia Tomori – Karleen Gribble – Aunchalee E.L. Palmquist – Mija-Tesse Ververs – Marelle S. Gross
COVID-19: Separating Infected Mothers from Newborns: Weighing the Risks and Benefits
- Harvard Medical School – Melissa Bartick, MD, MS, FABM
Mother-Baby Separation for COVID-19 Not Evidence-Based, Experts Say
- MedScape – Troy Brown, RN
Should New Mothers With COVID-19 Be Separated From Their Newborns
- The Hastings Center
- Stowe Locke Teti – Christy Cummings – Louise P. King – Cynthia C. Coleman – Kayla Tabari – Christine Mitchell
Maternal Mental Health, Separation, and COVID-19 Specific Resources:
COVID-19 and maternal mental health: Are we getting the balance right?
- MedRxiv (The Preprint Server for Health Sciences) – CHS (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory – BMJ – Yale
- Anastasia Toplidou – Gill Thomson – Soo Downe
- Taylor & Francis Online
- Ferit Durankuş – Erson Aksu
Breastfeeding and Separation Resources, General:
Rights of Children in Relation to Breastfeeding in Child Protection Cases: downloadable file
Helpful Breastfeeding Resources, General:
- Wiley Online Library – Gayla Bigman
Working with Health Care Providers Resources:
Breastfeeding Empowering Language in Medical Settings
- Mom2Mom Global- Amy Smolinski
The SHARE Approach—Essential Steps of Shared Decisionmaking: Quick Reference Guide
- AHRQ(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The SHARE Approach is a 1-day training program developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to help health care professionals work with patients to make the best possible health care decisions. It supports shared decisionmaking through the use of patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR).
Current and Ongoing Studies:
ISRHML Activities and Guidance related to COVID-19
- ISRHML (The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation)
Additional Resources:
- National Library of Medicine – National Center of Biotechnology Information
- Kathleen A Marinelli – Robert M Lawrence
Publishers Provide Scholarly Content Free on Project MUSE During COVID-19 Crisis
- Project Muse
Is there a resource or research you’d like to see included here? Please let us know.
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