Lactivist in Lubbock: Supporting Texas Babies

I don't often get into activist mode. As a mother of 2, my focus is on their nutrition, health, emotional and psychological well being, family moments, teaching faith and what I know to be the truth of Jesus Christ, etc. 

Part of being a mother to these children has included starting their lives with working to provide the best nutrition I can - and I know this to be breastmilk. With my son, it wasn't always easy due to some health issues. He was breastfed from the day he was born for his first 6 weeks - he had lots of GI issues that we finally sorted out, so we at times supplemented with formula to help his gut as I learned how to eat best for his dietary needs, but we worked through the learning curve and enjoyed a 12 1/2 month breastfeeding relationship. With my daughter, now 5 months and 1 week old, she has been exclusively breastfed from day 1 - we made the needed changes to my diet before her birth and thus have had a much easier time with breastfeeding, though there have been other challenges (oversupply, overactive letdown, tongue/lip-tie at birth, thrush, mastitis, frustrated baby when milk supply leveled off at 3 months) - but we've faced each one and she continues to gain and thrive on her Mama's milk. I've found such an incredible community in the world of breastfeeding - both with mothers who breastfeed and those who use donor milk (check out Eats on Feets and Human Milk 4 Human Babies for more information) for their babies - we all work as a team to try our very best to give our babies the very best. 

Me and my first nursling

(August 2011 - my son is 9 months old)

The work that is breastfeeding should be supported by our community because research increasingly finds that breastmilk really is best for a growing newborn/infant/baby (and toddler!). Even with all the information available on the benefits of breastmilk to babies, our society often talks about how mothers should breastfeed, but culturally there is still the prevalent attitude that it is somehow shameful and should thus be done in private. Breasts are over-sexualized and thus even the idea of a baby being seen eating makes many squirm. There are many Mamas (and Daddies!) working to normalize breastfeeding here in the United States (as it is completely normal in so many other countries). For babies to be successfully breastfed, they must be fed "on demand" (whenever baby is hungry and for however long she/he wants to eat). In a world where mothers work and are out of the house at playdates for socialization (for them and their children) and have to go to grocery stores to get food for their families (in other words - we don't live on farms where community happens with neighbors only and we get our own food out of our own gardens, thus meaning we aren't in town when baby is hungry... mothers are out of their houses supporting the economy!) - babies are often hungry when a Mama is in line at the grocery, waiting at the bank, picking up brother or sister at school, eating at a restaurant, etc. And these are the places where Mama should be able to feed her hungry baby! 

Texas currently has a law that protects a mother's right to feed her nursing baby "on demand" (which is the only way to maintain breastfeeding as milk supply is completely dependent on how often it is demanded and expressed when baby eats):

Sec. 165.002. RIGHT TO BREAST-FEED. A mother is entitled to breast-fed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be. (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.165.htm) 

So, with such a great law, why this post? Well, even with this law, mothers are often shamed or asked to leave, cover up, feed their baby in a public bathroom (would YOU eat in a public restroom sitting on a toilet?), in short - to hide. It's no wonder so many first-time mothers find breastfeeding foreign and difficult - we are not "allowed" to see this growing up and thus it is not a normalized part of our knowledge when we become mothers. There are many problems with isolating mothers to feed their babies - just a few of these include the higher incidence of post-postpartum depression when a mother is kept alone and feels she can't leave her home or be around others, the risk to the breastfeeding relationship when a baby cannot be fed when he/she is hungry because the mother has to find a suitable place and must put the baby off, among others. The reasons that there is more needed in our laws is well articulated in this blog post by a brave mother who is pioneering the way (along with others) to protect mothers and babies as they journey the breastfeeding road together: http://keepaustinnip.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-letter-to-principal.html

There are currently two bills that went before the House of Representatives yesterday, 3/13/13, that would affect and support breastfeeding mothers and babies and be a huge step forward for both women's and children's rights here in Texas. 

So, I spent my daughter's morning nap time crafting the email below and sending it, individually, to each Business & Industry committee member. Thank you to  Krisdee Donmoyer at Keep Austin Nursing in Public for her information and guidance on supporting these bills. Here, from her blog, are the 7 committee members of the Business & Industry Committee for support:

1. **Committee Chair** Rep. Rene Olveira - D - District 37: Rene.Oliveira@house.state.tx.us
2. **Committee Vice Chair** Rep. Dwayne Bohac - R - District 138: dwayne.bohac@house.state.tx.us
3. Rep Armando Walle - D - District 140: Armando.Walle@house.state.tx.us
4. Rep. Jason Villalba - R - District 114: Jason.Villalba@house.state.tx.us
5. Rep. Rob Orr - R- District 58: Rob.Orr@house.state.tx.us
6. Rep. Eddie Rodriguez - D - District 51: Eddie.Rodriguez@house.state.tx.us
7. Rep. Paul Workman - R - District 47: paul.workman@house.state.tx.us

Here is the email I put together using information from various sources, including a local lactation education counselor who is pursuing training with the goal of one day being a professional lactation consultant (IBCLC), Naya Weber, with Lactivist in Louboutins, and Kriasww Donmoyer with Keep Austin Nursing in Public.

"Good afternoon Rep. ___________:

I hope this email finds you well. As a breastfeeding mother of a 5 month old and a resident of our great state of Texas, I am writing to ask for your support of House Bill 1706, sponsored by Rep. Farrar and Rep. King. Currently, Texas law states, "A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be." However, this merely asserts her right. It does not protect her right, as there is currently no enforcement provision. 

Mothers are frequently discriminated against for feeding their children while they are out supporting the economy by shopping for their families and eating in restaurants. Fear of this discrimination prevents many mothers from choosing optimal nutrition for their babies as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, "American Dietetic Association, The American Academy of Family Physicians, Association of Women’s Health, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), United States Department of Health & Human Services, UNICEF, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and others. Links to position papers and so much more can be found at http://kellymom.com/pregnancy/bf-prep/bf-benefits/ .  The CDC published "The CDC Guide to Breastfeeding Interventions," (http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/BF_guide_9.pdf) in which they address the need for interventions to increase public acceptance." (http://keepaustinnip.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-letter-to-principal.html)

HB 1706 will not only serve mothers and babies, it will inform businesses of the law and allow them to avoid the negative media attention that sometimes follows an incident where an ill-informed employee humiliates a mother who is only trying to feed her child.

There are so many benefits to breastfeeding and research continues to find that it is truly the best nutrition for babies and thus something the state of Texas should work diligently to ensure is possible for Texas babies. In fact, "..breastfed children have higher grades and higher IQs, and are less likely to get sick, than formula-fed babies..." These benefits are quite important to our state as we seek to have our children in school and healthy so they can become educated and grow into adults that contribute to our state. In addition, "breastfed babies have less constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting, and fewer and less serious respiratory illnesses.  When they do get sick, they are less likely to become dehydrated.  Breastfed babies have fewer problems with reflux and eczema, are less likely to need braces, and have better vision.  They are less likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  They also have a decreased risk of developing:

• asthma
• allergies
• juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
• acute appendicitis
• multiple sclerosis
• obesity
• stroke
• heart disease
• sleep apnea
• ear infections
• type 1 diabetes
• ulcerative colitis
• Crohn's disease
• pneumonia
• meningitis
• urinary tract infections
• salmonella
• e. coli infections
• childhood cancers.

More information can be found on the website askdrsears.com, and athttp://www.notmilk.com/101.html there are 101 benefits listed with references cited." (information shared with permission from http://keepaustinnip.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-letter-to-principal.html)

As a breastfeeding mother and an advocate for mothers and children, I urge you to support this legislation as we take this to a new level and truly protect a woman's right to breastfeed, and subsequently a baby's right to eat. This bill has already received media coverage from Dallas Observer, Houston Press, The Spring Observer, and The Stir (links below). Please support this bill, and support Texas mothers, babies, and this crucial public health issue. Thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Bruffey and Ruth Evelyn Bruffey (5 months, 1 week old and exclusively breastfed)

6546 93rd Street

Lubbock, TX 79424

817-757-2343

elizabethparishbruffey@gmail.com

http://tinyurl.com/hb1706dallasobserver

http://tinyurl.com/hb1706houstonpress

http://tinyurl.com/hb1706springobserver

http://tinyurl.com/hb1706cafemom

For those reading this who would like to offer their support for HB 1706 and the rights of babies to eat when and where they need to for their long-term health and thus benefit to the individual and society at large, please feel free to contact these members of the Business & Industries committee as well as your own representatives and use some or all of the letter I've put together, customizing it as it suits your situation. To find your representative of your district:

• Find your rep here: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/find-your-representative/
• Find their email address here: http://www.texastribune.org/directory/

For more letter samples, please look here at Keep Austin Nursing in Public: Letter-Writing Campaign for HB 1706.

Thank you for reading (especially if you've made it this far!) as I just felt compelled to share something important to my heart as a {breastfeeding} Mama of 2!

My beloved nursling #1

~ Mama Bruffey ~

Daughter of God, Wife of One, {breastfeeding} Mother of Two