WABA Announces World Breastfeeding Week 2011 Theme

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has announced the theme for 2011's World Breastfeeding Week. "Talk to me! Breastfeeding-- A 3D Experience" acknowledges that breastfeeding support has traditionally been two-dimensional, focusing on time (pre-pregnancy to weaning) and place (communities, health care systems). However, a three-dimensional approach that includes communication is key. The artwork is a nod to social media, turning the image of an RSS Feed into a breastfeeding family.

I'm intrigued by where they will be going with the theme this year and whether or not they will focus on social media, like the breastfeeding advocacy done online via blogs, Facebook groups and Twitter. We are communicating globally in ways that were unimaginable even a few short years ago, and Web 2.0 is a huge part of that. We've seen how important Facebook has been to breastfeeding advocacy for everything from milk sharing with Eats on Feets to support groups like The Leaky B@@b. Weekly breastfeeding chats on Twitter bring together moms and lactation professionals and bloggers are educating moms on the importance of the WHO Code. So I do think breastfeeding advocacy is useless without communication and a lot of that communicating is now happening online.

So what do you think of this year's World Breastfeeding Week theme?




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Search terms that will bring you to Blacktating

Liz at Los Angelista often posts the funny, wacky or downright scary search terms that land people on her blog. I regularly get some doozies as well, so I thought I'd share. All of these are verbatim, grammatical errors and all,  I swear!


1. How big where Mayim Bialik's breasts?
When she was on Blossom? While she was breastfeeding? When? Not that I know the answer either way. I'm just sort of surprised anyone is that interested in this topic, but I guess everyone has their thing.


2. Sabrina the Teenage Witch
I used to  LOVE Sabrina the Teenage Witch when I was a teen. Salem the cat really stole the show, no?


3. Why after having a kid does a woman not want to be intament?
Men need to understand that taking care of a newborn is seriously exhausting. Your wife/girlfriend is too tired to be thinking about being "intament" because she's got a tiny baby who is dependent upon her for everything. If she's breastfeeding, her hormones are responsible for zapping her libido, and that's by design. Mother Nature wants her to finish nurturing the baby she's already got before she goes and gets herself another one. Listen, I'm guessing if you even have to ask this question you are not helping out enough. Maybe she'll be more in the mood if you take over some of the baby care so she can rest or take a shower.


4. Sean Patrick Thomas breastfeeding.
I highly doubt it.


5. Is Alicia Keys breastfeeding?
Even more doubtful than above.


6. A word to describe breastfeeding?
Beautiful. Natural. Normal. Best. Difficult. Amazing.


7. I couldn't breastfeed.
Even though most women are physiologically capable of breastfeeding, there are a lot of reasons why it might not work out. If you were unsuccessful the first time, it doesn't necessarily mean you won't be able to do it next time with the proper support and information. But yes, some women simply cannot breastfeed. I feel awful for any mom who really wants to nurse who finds herself in this position.


8. How to be OK with stopping breastfeeding.
I've talked a lot about how my son and I had a rough start to breastfeeding. I had always wanted to breastfeed and I was determined to make it work. I knew that for me, I would never forgive myself if I didn't exhaust every option before throwing in the towel. There were many, MANY times when I wanted to stop, but I kept on because I felt like we could get it right eventually and I wanted the best for my son. Only you can know when it's time to stop breastfeeding, for whatever reason, and once you make your decision, you have to own it. Pat yourself on the back for making it however long you did and move on. There is a lot more to feel guilty about, trust me, so no need to dwell on breastfeeding.

9. Is Similac safe now?
About as safe as any infant formula can be, meaning there may no longer be beetles in it, but there are still risks to using formula.

10. Is it wrong for a lesbian to breastfeed their baby?
I have no clue why it would be. I'd love it if every woman breastfed her baby.

11. Women breastfeeding other women.
I just.....can't.

12. Elita
Yes?

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Baby Robbie: A Story of Adoptive Breastfeeding

Another wonderful story that proves once again, that yes, it IS indeed possible to breastfeed an adopted baby. In a piece for the Illinois Times, Julianne Glatz writes about becoming a new grandmother to baby Robbie, who has been recently adopted by her daughter, Anne, and her husband, Ben. Anne and Ben tried all of the usual ways to have a baby, but were unsuccessful. Anne told her mother she felt like a failure for not being able to conceive. Julianne remembered that she had read about adoptive mothers breastfeeding and told her daughter, "You've had to give up a lot. But maybe you won't have to give up breastfeeding."

I loved this story, because not only do we have a grandma telling her daughter to give breastfeeding a go even though it's going to be a bit tougher than it would for the average new mom, but we've also got a grandma who understands and respects the importance of mothering at the breast. Go read the whole thing and have your whole week made. Nana, you are filling those big shoes nicely.

Photo credit Julianne Glatz

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2010 Celebrity Breastfeeding Round-Up

This year, lots of celebrities of color had babies and many of them were also breastfed. Here's a round-up of the celebs who gave their babies the best start in life in 2010.


Christina Milian gave birth to baby girl Violet in February. Christina initially said her goal was to breastfeed for one year and she credited the breastfeeding with helping her get back her bangin' body post-baby.






Paula Patton and hubby Robin Thicke welcomed son Julian Fuego in April. Robin talked about being on diaper duty and letting mom Paula handle the rest. No official talk about breastfeeding, but I'm just going to go ahead and call this one for Team Titty.




















Reality TV star Phaedra Parks gave birth to her baby boy Aiden in May. We got to see the Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member discuss her plans to breastfeed this season, as well as nurse her baby several times  on the show. Although Phaedra seemed totally clueless about breastfeeding, I'm pleased to see she figured it all out, and as of December was still nursing.

In June, actor Sean Patrick Thomas and his wife, Aonika Laurent Thomas, welcomed their second baby, a boy named Luc. Aonika is a veteran nursing mom, so I'm guessing she also breastfed baby Luc.

Keyshia Cole and Daniel "Boobie" Gibson welcomes baby Daniel Hiram, Jr. in March. No word on whether or not Keyshia breastfed, but we never saw the baby with a bottle and she was quoted as saying, "I’m so blessed to have him. I said God always comes on time because at that time, I was going through that with family, I was so hurt from it. Me being pregnant and coming to terms with myself and understanding that I’m having a baby now. So now I have to give my child everything that I wanted my mom to give me that I didn’t receive." So with no official word on breastfeeding, I'd like to assume the best and say yes.

I just find it very annoying that I have to even guess. When black celebrities have babies, why don't get they asked about breastfeeding like everyone else? One of the most famous singers in the world, Alicia Keys, had a baby in October and not one word about breastfeeding. While I am 99.9% sure she chose to bottle-feed, I am still shocked that the topic never came up. Where's our Angelina Jolie, our Jenna Elfman, our Christina Aguilera?  Hell, I'd even take a Gisele-level obnoxious statement from a black celebrity at this point.

Are you seriously going to make me hold my breath for Beyonce?


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