Posts by To-wen Tseng
From One Mom to Another: Keep Calm and Breastfeed On
My first child was born right before Mother’s Day. I’ve always said that he is my Mother’s Day present. This year that “Mother’s Day present” turned seven years old. I took him to the pediatrician for his annual wellness check. At the door of the clinic, I saw a very little baby, probably two or…
Read MoreA Quick COVID-19 Guide for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers
***Information on COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, and this guide could become outdated by the time you read it. For the most up to date information, please visit the CDC information page at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness. The investigation to determine more about…
Read MoreIt’s 2020 and I still hear people say, “Mothers breastfeed because they cannot afford formula.”
A while ago my 6-year-old and his best friend talked about if chocolate milk comes from “special black cow” at a playdate. The conversation just made me and the other mother laugh. And then, randomly, I told the other mom, “you know there is actually a documentary called ‘chocolate milk.’ It is about breastfeeding disparities…
Read MoreThe Childcare-Conference Conundrum
A while ago I attended the 2020 California Breastfeeding Summit as a poster presenter and an awardee. I was thrilled to be there. Conferences like these are vital forums for academic researchers and activists. At these meetings, scientists communicate discoveries, activists form advocacy collaborations, make contacts with funding agencies, and attract new members to our programs. But…
Read MorePUMP!
Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PMUP) for Nursing Mothers Act (S. 3170) has been introduced with bipartisan support in the Senate! The current law, Break Time for Nursing Mothers which passed in 2010, requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for breastfeeding employees to pump during the workday. This was an important step. However,…
Read MoreThe Case of Relactation
I never thought my body can make milk again, after the breast surgery and half a year after stop breastfeeding.
Read MoreA Look Back at Breastfeeding Activism in 2019
This has been a tremendous year of support, dedication, and growth for the San Diego County Breastfeeding Coalition. My heart, for one, is filled with love and gratitude for my colleagues at the Coalition and everyone in the breastfeeding community. As we continue to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding through education, outreach and advocacy, here…
Read MoreThe Return of Breastsleeping
In the industrialized Western world, we often expect babies to sleep over night as early as possible while “sleeping like a baby” in the first three months really means, according to Dr. James McKenna, sleeping near the mother, waking up frequently and being breastfed. He named the arrangement “breastsleeping.” “Infants are contact seekers,” said Dr.…
Read MoreThank You for Breastfeeding
Nobody looked at me anymore. I was relieved. Baby ate and was satisfied.
Read MoreBreast milk helps set baby’s clock
I have two children. The first one was breastfed until two-and-a-half years old. The second one is now 22 months old, still being breastfed. The first one slept overnight at four months old. The second one at six months old. When I share this experience with people, they often stare at me, “and they’re breastfeeding…
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