I've got to give the big shout-out to my friend, Ben, for reminding me of this incident. It happened well before I became a Guide at About, but it's just too funny not to share...

About a year and a half ago, I was at my alma mater, Skidmore College, planning our reunion with a nice, intimate committee of eight. It was a gorgeous summer day and our entire morning was spent inside. We decided to reconvene outside after lunch.

Now, squirrels on the Skidmore campus were always somewhat of a joke...very bold and brazen--they never ran away when you approached them. On this particular day, a squirrel went above and beyond the Skidmore norm. In the midst of our meeting, a squirrel jumped onto the table and began scurrying frantically to each person. (Granted, we did have cookies on the table, but still...) The scene that ensued was absolute helter-skelter--papers flying everywhere, everyone screaming, chairs falling backwards--and yet, that squirrel would not leave. We called Campus Safety, who, in turn, called in the troops...a "nuisance wildlife specialist" called Adirondack Dundee. It took him about 45 minutes to get there (and yes, that unbelievable squirrel was still hanging out!) and when she saw him, she bolted up a tree. We were all convinced we were on "Candid Camera" at this point. Either that, or this rodent was a robot!

Dundee stood beneath the tree, prepping for his capture. Suddenly, a fairly significant stream of fluid came down all over him. While we all laughed at how passive aggressive this squirrel was to urinate on him, Dundee was unfazed. "It's not urine...it's milk. This squirrel is lactating and really hungry. She'll do anything to eat right now." (Of course, the lactation consultant jokes followed...How could they not?) This whole experience translates so beautifully to how human moms feel when they're breastfeeding. Your body needs more calories when nursing (about 500 extra per day) and most women feel ravenous and very thirsty. The only difference is that we don't attack anything other than our pantries.

In a week full of exciting and positive breastfeeding news, we have yet another study to add...The May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry reports that longer periods of exclusive breastfeeding during a child's first year of life has been associated with an increase in intelligence by first grade. The Belarussian study of 17,046 children found that those who were born in hospitals that promoted exclusive breastfeeding scored higher on verbal IQ tests than those who were born in hospitals that did not take part in the promotion. In addition, they received higher reading and writing ratings from their teachers.

Dr. Laura Viehmann, a member of the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics' section on breastfeeding, describes the findings as "really quite robust." She goes on to say that the strengths of the study were the large numbers of participants and the long follow-up, adding that "it's going to be hard to repeat a study of that size."

The breastfeeding initiation rates may be up to 77 percent in the United States, but Norway and Sweden far surpass those statistics. Why? Perhaps it's the simple fact that these countries are extremely progressive and that they pride themselves on having a very well-educated population.

Dr. Susan Markel states, "...in Norway, mothers breastfeed on buses, in parks, cafes, and stores. With rare exceptions, none leave the hospital without breast-feeding." In addition, their duration rates are significantly higher, with 80 percent still breastfeeding at 6 months, compared to only 32 percent in the United States. One reason, according to Markel, may be that our maternity leaves are very short and busy lives interfere with nursing. There's got to be something said for the fact that Norwegian mothers get 10-month paid maternity leaves!

Aside from prenatal breastfeeding eduation, one major step to achieving the Norwegian breastfeeding standard is to "Ban the Bags" in hospitals. We really should treat breastfeeding as the norm, rather than the exception.

In the Wall Street Journal blog entitled "The Juggle" (regarding the "choices and tradeoffs people make as they juggle work and family"), Sara Schaefer Munoz discusses the "bad parent" act of breastfeeding in a moving vehicle. So, this made me curious...Have you ever done this? Tell the truth! Take my poll!

A government study released on Wednesday shows that breastfeeding initiation rates are up 17% since 1994. An unprecedented 77 percent of new mothers start out breastfeeding their babies. While the rates at 6 months remain unchanged, this is still very encouraging news. The benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh those of formula feeding, and these initiation rates are proving that pregnant women are doing their research.

One very exciting outcome of this study is that breastfeeding rates increased among non-Hispanic black women to 65 percent from 36 percent in 1993 and 1994. Eighty percent of Mexican-American infants and 79 percent of non-Hispanic white infants had been breastfed. These populations typically have the lowest rates, proving that breastfeeding education is clearly making a great impact.

My advice to all pregnant moms who are curious (or even nervous) about the prospect of breastfeeding...take a prenatal breastfeeding class. It will answer all of your questions, give you confidence, and put your mind at ease going into the process. Being armed with information before you have your baby will make such a difference!

There are many reasons for low milk supply, and most often it is very easy to rebound with some techniques to increase milk supply. However, after going through the typical laundry list of reasons that this may occur, sometimes it is necessary to examine other issues, such as whether or not your thyroid is functioning properly.

If you are hypothyroid or hyperthyroid, and are on a medication such as Synthroid, you could have potential milk supply problems. Make sure that you have your levels tested as soon after delivery as possible, as they may have changed. It may be necessary to adjust your dosage; typically, your milk supply will have a positive response. Speak with a lactation consultant to formulate a plan of action to increase your supply.

This question comes up in every one of my prenatal breastfeeding classes. The simple answer is "yes", but there are some important factors to consider...

If you plan to use birth control pills while breastfeeding, your safest bet is to take a progestin-only pill (also called the "mini pill"). Regular birth-control pills, the Patch, and the Ring typically contain estrogen, which is best to avoid during lactation. When estrogen levels rise, milk supply can drop dramatically. On the progestin-only pill, you will not have those issues. The only minor glitch is that you have to take the mini-pill at the same time every day, so you must be wary of that. Otherwise, it's an excellent contraceptive option.

With the myriad, recent news stories about BPA in baby bottles, this information couldn't be more timely...Playtex announced this week that it will distribute one million free samples of Playtex Drop-Ins Original Nurser Systems, which are free of bisphenol A, a chemical used to manufacture polycarbonate plastic products. Playtex currently offers over 80 products that are BPA-free. It also announced that the balance of the product line will be converted to BPA-free material by year end.

Parents who wish to receive a free Playtex Drop-Ins Original Nurser System should visit Playtex online at www.playtexbaby.com/bpafree/info.html.

Just when you think you've heard it all...

Rapper Kanye West faults his late mother for his love of big-breasted women because she spent "too long" breastfeeding him as a baby. He believes she "messed [him] up" as a result of this.

Personally, I think West is very talented, so perhaps we could put a spin on his theory. Can't we credit his mother with a little something? How about "breastfeeding helped his brain to grow and develop, which, in turn, afforded him the ability to become a renowned musician?"

Now, how do you like them apples?

One of my clients called this weekend with concern that she hasn't been supplementing with Vitamin D. Her exclusively breastfed baby is now 3 months old and her pediatrician hasn't recommended she supplement the vitamin, but she's been reading a lot about it. So, what's the deal with Vitamin D? Why is it the only vitamin we worry about supplementing in breastfed babies? Here are some guidelines on Vitamin D.