Episode 51: Oh Mama! Special Series Episode 2 - Breastfeeding with AiArthritis Diseases
AiArthritis Voices 360 Full Episode 51
Air Date: December 13, 2020
This week join your patient co-hosts Danielle Dass, Mariah Leach, and Cheryl Crow as they bring an important topic from the American College of Rheumatology Annual Conference to our show - a topic from a session Mariah and Cheryl led at the conference!. This episode will be part of a series of planned episodes on postpartum challenges for new mothers living with AiArthritis Diseases. Today’s episode will focus on the emotional and physical challenges of breastfeeding.
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Our AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show is just a piece of larger program - the AiArthritis Voices Program.
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Show Notes:
00:52 - Danielle welcomes listeners
01:45 - Today’s episode is about breastfeeding with an AiArthritis Disease
02:09 - This episode is a continuation of Episode 11, which was about pregnancy with an AiArthritis Disease
02:23 - Danielle is joined today by Mariah Leach and Cheryl Crow who presented a session at the American College of Rheumatology Conference on supporting new mothers during the postpartum period
02:43 - Mariah and Cheryl introduce themselves
03:04 - Mariah had nowhere to go for support when she struggled as an RA patient in the postpartum period so she founded Mama’s Facing Forward, a Facebook group and website that focuses on pregnancy and parenting with chronic illness
04:18 - Cheryl is an Occupational Therapist and an RA patient who founded Arthritis Life to help arthritis patients navigate their daily lives
06:53 - Breastfeeding is one of the most common postpartum issues new moms want to discuss
07:14 - The decision of whether or not to breastfeed should be a personal one, but many new moms feel a lot of pressure from others to nurse their new baby
08:37 - Breastfeeding isn’t always the best choice for a new mom, especially one living with a chronic illness
08:59 - Fed is best. Choosing not to breastfeed is a valid option for any mom.
10:00 - The Fed Is Best Foundation is an excellent source for information about all feeding options, including breastfeeding, formula-feeding, and even using donor milk
10:39 - Breast is best in a vacuum, but no mother lives in a vacuum
12:36 - Currently there are many treatment options for AiArthritis patients that are safe to use while breastfeeding
13:56 - Women should never have to choose between medicating their AiArthritis disease and breastfeeding
14:13 - Moms who need to take medication while pregnant or breastfeeding should consult Mother To Baby (mothertobaby.org), a website-based resource that collects information to help moms make informed choices
15:15 - If you are experiencing difficulty while performing your activities of daily living (feeding, dressing, changing, or caring for your baby), an occupational therapist can help you find strategies for dealing with both emotional and physical challenges
16:12 - You may have to ask your doctor for a referral since not all doctors know that they can send patients to an OT for help with postpartum issues
17:24 - To reduce pain while breastfeeding, consider the ergonomics of your positioning as well as how you’re holding the baby
18:20 - Having an accountability partner in the home to help remind you to use healthy posture while nursing can be helpful to reduce strain and repetitive stress injuries
20:32 - If you will be bottle-feeding your baby, try to choose a bottle that is easy for you to open and close
20:50 - Moms who will be pumping may benefit from a handsfree breast pumping bra so they don’t have to hold the bottles for extended periods of time
21:13 - Try to choose clothing that is conducive to breastfeeding but does not stress your hands with the closures
22:50 - A breastfeeding pillow can be helpful for supporting ergonomic positioning while nursing, as well as reducing the need to support the baby’s weight while nursing
23:59 - Alternate positions like side-lying or the football hold can also be helpful if holding the baby in the traditional nursing fashion is causing pain for Mom
25:20 - If a position doesn’t work for you, it may be worth revisiting later because your preferences may change as the baby develops or even with a subsequent child
26:33 - If you want more information about this occupational therapy for AiArthritis patients, you can check out Cheryl’s website @ myarthritislife.net or find Cheryl on ticktock (@arthritislife)
27:20 - Mariah invites listeners with chronic illness to join Mamas Facing Forward on Facebook or find her on instagram and twitter (@mamasforward)
28:05 - Mariah and Cheryl will be back for more episodes on this topic soon
29:08 - If you are a patient or the parent of a juvenile living with an AiArthritis disease, please join us at aiarthritisvoices.org or visit aiarthritis.org/aiarthritisvoices to continue this conversation with us
30:05 - Danielle invites listeners to connect with us on all social media platforms @ IFAiArthritis or email us @ podcast@aiarthritis.org
30:17 - Danielle thanks Mariah and Cheryl for co-hosting today’s episode
30:37 - Please consider supporting the show by donating at aiarthritis.org/talkshow
The session from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2020 led by Mariah and Cheryl is called Reproductive Health: Meet Women's Needs. Description: Addressing reproductive health needs is an emergent priority for the rheumatology community. New research provides guidelines for how to safely treat and counsel rheumatology patients about reproductive health. Still, women with rheumatic disease lack needed health information to make evidence-informed decisions about family planning. This panel session will outline the unique needs during the stages of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and early motherhood of reproductive-aged women diagnosed with rheumatic disease.
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AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook (@ifAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org).
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Your Co-Hosts & Guests: Who is at the table this episode?
Show Co-Host: Mariah Leach
Guest Co-Host: Cheryl Crow
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