Change is Inevitable - Luna Lactation Nov 2010 Newsletter

http://www.lunalactation.com/Nov2010.pdf

Melissa Cole, IBCLC, RLC

Board Certified Lactation Consultant

tel.360.830.MILK(6455)

fax.360.695.6193

www.lunalactation.com

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex

The topic Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) came up recently in a professional group of which I am a member. Carol Gray shared a blog post that she wrote about this condition, and I want to share this information because it is really important that mothers know what it is and what causes it. I have known several mothers who have experienced it, and it can be very distressing especially if a mother does not know what is happening. Please share this information.

D-MER is a flood of negative emotions (including helplessness, anger, dread, anxiety) and often nausea that occurs right before the Milk Ejection Reflex (right before the milk is "let down") when nursing. The overwhelming negative feelings only last for about 30 seconds to 2 minutes and the mother feels completely fine before and after.

D-MER is caused by a hormonal drop in dopamine right before the Milk Ejection Reflex. It is NOT a postpartum mood disorder, repressed trauma, or or poor bonding with your baby but can occur concurrently. D-MER is treatable and/or manageable. If you or someone you know is experiencing D-MER, you are not alone and you are not doing anything wrong. You can get help from a Lactation Consultant or other healthcare provider. If your healthcare provider is not familiar with D-MER, find someone who is.

www.D-MER.org explains that D-MER can go unrecognized for many reasons:

since 1) some mothers have so many closely spaced letdowns per feeding that the feelings do not have a chance to dissipate before the next D-MER is upon her, making her feel that she experiences on long D-MER through most of, if not all of, the feeding 2) many mothers do not physically feel a letdown in their breasts and so does not connect the feeling as to being just prior to letdown and 3) given the fact that D-MER happens with spontaneous letdowns as well, a mother may not immediately connect the way she is feeling to being a breastfeeding phenomenon.

For more information about D-MER, visit www.DMER.org and this post on Ask Moxie and this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2UITtz50ec&feature=player_embedded):

Birthingway college of Midwifery's Breastfeeding Center- Grand Opening

Announcing Birthingway College of Midwifery's

Breastfeeding Center

Grand Opening

Saturday, March 20th from 12:00pm-3:00pm

Celebrate the opening of an innovative new type of support system for families in Portland. The Breastfeeding Center will provide Portland families with FREE out-of-hospital breastfeeding support in a comfy home setting. Services include support groups and a space to just hang out and connect with other breastfeeding women, as well as professional help with basic breastfeeding information, return-to-work plans, complex situations, weaning and more.

Birthingway's FREE Breastfeeding Center supports a nursing mother by providing:

• Personal care with an individualized breastfeeding plan.
• Free phone support to assess needs
• A free hour-long consultation with an IBCLC.

Birthingway's breastfeeding support is physiologically based with the least amount of interventions while protecting the well-being of moms and babies.

Center Services are closely supervised by International Board Certified Lactation consultants (IBCLC) with assistance from students participating in our Lactation Program. All client records are kept confidential per HIPPA standards.

Birthingway College of Midwifery

12108 SE Carlton St.

Portland, OR 97266

Contact 503-760-3131 for information about the event

or e-mail: breastfeeding@birthingway.edu

www.birthingway.edu

The grand opening celebration will be a chance for the community to get to know our space and learn about the services the Breastfeeding Center will offer. There will also be food and a raffle to sweeten the day.

Nurture Welcomes Melissa Cole

Nurture warmly welcomes Melissa Cole to our Family Wellness Collective. Melissa is a lactation consultant with many years of experience supporting families with breastfeeding. She is a mother of three and a knowledgeable woman. Here is a bit about her practice:

Supporting new families is a joy and an honor!
After welcoming your precious child into the world, coping with breastfeeding
challenges can be unexpected and very emotional for new parents. Working with an experienced lactation consultant can help you identify the source of your breastfeeding issues and empower you to discover new approaches to those issues.

I view lactation as a holistic process and respect each family’s unique health care beliefs. I am committed to offering compassionate, comprehensive support for all phases of breastfeeding. I strive to provide nurturing, clinical care so that each family can define their own breastfeeding success. Learn more about me and my private practice, Luna Lactation, here.

Why see an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)?
The IBCLC credentials are the gold standard for lactation qualifications. Read more here to learn more about this credential or read more on IBLCE’s web site.

There are many situations in which families can benefit from a private, professional lactation consultation. Some reasons to seek assistance from a board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) include but are not limited to:

Mother issues: milk supply issues, sore nipples/breasts, history of hormonal issues/infertility, past breast surgery, medical issues/illness, past breastfeeding problems, planning to return to work/school, other unresolved breastfeeding concerns(prenatally or postpartum).

Baby issues: weight gain concerns, latch concerns, prematurity, multiples, traumatic birth, jaundice, unresolved fussiness, medical/anatomical issues that impact feeding, baby being supplemented or using specialized feeding tools, sleep/growth/solid food guidance, adoption, any other unresolved feeding concerns.

Hours:
Most appointment times are on the weekends and weekday evenings however I realize how critical timely and nurturing breastfeeding assistance is. I will do my best to schedule appointments ASAP. Once an established client, I will continue to provide you with care as long as the need exists and you will have access to prompt follow-up support.

Fees:
For information on consultations available both in our office space and in the comfort of your own home, please read more here.

Community:
Connection is vital as families grow and find their way. I invite you to inquire about additional community resources that may benefit your family. My resource page is a great place to start.

Melissa Cole, IBCLC, RLC
360-830-MILK (6455)
melissa@lunalactation.com
http://www.lunalactation.com/