Only a few more days to reach our fundraising goal - Will You Help?

Thank you for helping us raise $1900 during our fundraising campaign!

This month we had an enormous goal… to raise $10,000.  While we didn’t meet our ultimate goal, we are so pleased with how much we raised, as this gives us a launching off point for the beginning of the year!

Our Goals for 2018:

• We hope to double the number of breastfeeding consultations for low income families from 52 to 100.

• We hope to continue to collaborate with Project Concern International on trainings for their home health patient navigators, as well as provide home visits for their families in City Heights.

• We hope to collaborate with additional local nonprofits who serve pregnant and newly postpartum women to provide breastfeeding education and support.

 

How you can help us reach these goals:

• Make a last minute donation so that you get the 2017 tax write off!

• Consider making a monthly recurring donation - A recurring donation of $7 per month will cover one consultation in 2018.... that's the minimal cost of 2 Starbucks coffees per month! 

This will be the last email you will receive from us until 2018.  Starting in January, we plan to send quarterly emails, just to keep you updated on all of our accomplishments.  We hope you will continue to follow along with us on this incredible journey.

Thank you for your support and your donations!  You are truly the heart and soul of our Foundation!

SDBFC’s help and support are the reason I am still able to breastfeed today. Without their assistance, I would have given up. I was hit with hurdle after hurdle with breastfeeding, and they've been by my side since my daughter was 2 days old. They've spent hours helping me whether it be home visits, office visits, emails, texts, phone calls, or the support group they run- they were always there and willing to help. I am beyond grateful for their knowledge and endless support.

- Amanda

Help Us Make A Difference on Giving Tuesday!

Happy #GivingTuesday!

Breastfeeding is not always easy!  Having personally experienced breastfeeding challenges with both of my kids, I know firsthand how critical breastfeeding support is for a mom in those first few weeks after her baby is born.  Critical, both physically and emotionally.

Join me in helping local low-income women gain access to critical breastfeeding support on this #GivingTuesday.

 

Wondering how to do this?

We are asking you to help us #SupportSDMoms by donating your weekly coffee money!  It’s that simple!  If everyone on this email list donated $10-$20 today, the amount they would spend at a coffee shop this week, we would be able to raise over $40,000 on #GivingTuesday.  

 

Can you help us reach this goal?

All you have to do is click on this Paypal link to donate this week’s coffee allowance and help bring affordable breastfeeding support to hundreds of local low-income moms.

After a fairly smooth pregnancy and birth, breastfeeding presented me with the greatest challenges in my journey to motherhood. Tula had a tongue tie that caused her latch to be shallow and excruciatingly painful for me. After the revision, she had trouble re-learning how to latch with the new mobility and ended up losing nearly a whole pound one week postpartum. That's when robin and the team at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center swooped in to the rescue.

Realizing our baby had been starving, we were wrought with concern and exhaustion. Robin was kind, supportive, and professional. She came to our home and was affordable, which was such a relief! She created a plan with us and she reassured us that we could reach our goals and get our baby healthy.

Five months later and we are going strong halfway towards our goal! Robin remains an essential source of support and guidance. Having access to these invaluable services, at the incredibly reasonable price point of $25, made all the difference.

- Lauren

DID YOU KNOW….

• While 93% of moms start breastfeeding exclusively at birth in San Diego, only 56% continue doing so at 3 months, largely due to a lack of access to ongoing lactation support.

• Lack of financial resources is reported as one of the main barriers for women to receive qualified breastfeeding support to help feed their babies.

Please join us today, on Giving Tuesday, to help more local families like Lauren's gain access to critical breastfeeding support!

To donate to the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation, please send checks to:

San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation (3355 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92103)

Global Big Latch On Event 2017

We are so excited to announce that the San Diego Breastfeeding Center and Wonderful and Wild are co-hosting a 2017 Big Latch On event!  For those who are unfamiliar with the Big Latch On, this is an event that started in New Zealand in 2005 during World Breastfeeding Week.  The mission of the Big Latch On is to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding women and each year groups of breastfeeding women come together at locations all around the world to latch on their children at a designated time and day in honor of this mission and to attempt to set a new record!  This year, our Big Latch On event will also serve as a major fundraiser for our non-profit organization, the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation.

So, here are the details:

When is the Big Latch On?

The Big Latch On event will take place on Saturday, August 5, 2017 from 8:30am-11am.  The actual Big Latch On will take place at exactly 10:30am, so don’t be late!  

Where will the Big Latch On take place?

At Wonderful and Wild.  The address is: 1007 University Ave. San Diego,CA 92103.

Do I need to RSVP for the Big Latch On Event?

Yes, please!  Since we need 1 non-breastfeeding witness for every 10 breastfeeding mamas, it would be wonderful if you can RSVP before the event.  If you forget, please come anyway.

What is the agenda for the Big Latch On?

8:30am-10:15am - Registration and mingle.  Purchase tickets for our Opportunity Drawing; proceeds to be donated to the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation.  First 100 attendees will get an awesome Goodie Bag!

10:15am-10:25am - Settle in and get ready to latch on

10:30am-10:31am - Big Latch On!

10:40am-11:00am - Opportunity drawing winners announced

11am - Event ends

What takes place at registration?

Each breastfeeding mom needs to register, with her name and email address, so that she can be counted during the event.  Also, each mom will decide whether she gives her permission to be photographed during the event.

What takes place during the Big Latch On?

8:30am-10:15am: Once moms have registered, there will be plenty of time to relax, mingle, and grab some coffee and breakfast at many of the local restaurants in walking distance.  You will also have time to purchase tickets for the opportunity drawing items.  Definitely bring a water bottle so you can stay hydrated.

From 10:30-10:31am, all of the participants will latch on their child(ren).  Each breastfeeding mom will be counted by one of the non-breastfeeding witnesses so that she can be accounted for in setting the Big Latch On record.

From 10:40-11:00am, opportunity drawing winners will be chosen.  Winners must be present to receive the gift.

What are the opportunity drawing details?

We are in the process of collecting items for our opportunity drawing!  Each Big Latch On participant will be given one ticket to enter the opportunity drawing.  Additional tickets can be purchased at the event: $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 6 tickets, $10 for 12 tickets.  All money raised will be donated to the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation to help pay for reduced-fee breastfeeding consultations for low-income breastfeeding families in San Diego.  If you have an item or service that you would like to donate for the opportunity drawing, please contact Robin Kaplan, at robinkaplan@sdbfc.com.

Sponsorship opportunities!

This year we are offering Sponsorship Opportunities, at a variety of levels, ranging from Goodie Bag donations to official sponsorship of our event.  If you are interested in sharing your service or product with our local families, please contact our event coordinator, Liz Bradshaw at LizBradshaw@sdbfc.com for more sponsorship information.  So far, we are thrilled to have the following businesses as sponsors: La Luna Health, San Diego County Breastfeeding Coalition, A Wholesome Home, Luludew, and Inspire Life Chiropractic.

How will the photographs be used after the event?

We are so thrilled that Ariel Dolfo, of Ariel Dolfo Photography, will be documenting our Big Latch On event for the fourth year in a row!  Photographs will only be taken of mothers who give permission to be photographed.  Group photos will be taken to document the event and sent with our final number of participating breastfeeding mothers, as well as placed on the San Diego Breastfeeding Center website.  

Looking forward to seeing you all there!  

IRC Donation Drive Success!

Written by Anna Choi, BS, IBCLC

On March 1st, we asked our community of mothers, families, and friends to help us #givehope to refugee families in San Diego by supporting our effort to collect diapers and women’s hygiene kits for the International Rescue Committee in San Diego. Our initial goal was to collect 500 diapers and 50 hygiene kits in 50 days. Within the first ten days, we had surpassed our diaper goal and were overwhelmed with gratitude as more diapers and hygiene kits continued to be delivered to our office throughout the following weeks. We are thrilled to announce that our final totals were as follows:

3,050 Diapers

40 Women’s Hygiene Kits

$400 in Walmart/Target Gift Cards

We appreciate the generosity of everyone who donated during our collection drive and feel very fortunate to work with such a wonderful community of people. 

On Friday, April 28th, we delivered the donations to IRC staff, at their office on University Avenue, and were greeted with smiling faces and words of gratitude. Elated to see the many boxes and packages of diapers, IRC staff happily restocked their supply room shelves as they discussed how helpful it is to have diapers readily available for refugee families in need. Sainab Warsame, Immigration Case Manager at the IRC, was quick to comment on how nicely put together the women’s hygiene kits were and let us know of her plans to hand out a few of the kits to recently arrived Congolese refugee women on Monday, at the IRC’s Vocational ESL class.

SAINAB WARSAME, IMMIGRATION CASE MANAGER, ANNA CHOI, AND PIPER CHOI

“The hygiene kits will also be given to many women the day they arrive so that they have what they need to hold them over until we take them on a bigger shopping trip,” Chris Williams, Resettlement Director for the IRC in San Diego, tells us.

CHRIS WILLIAMS, RESETTLEMENT DIRECTOR AT IRC SAN DIEGO, ANNA CHOI, AND PIPER CHOI

If you would like more information about how to make a one-time, or monthly, donation to the IRC in San Diego, please visit: https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-san-diego-ca?ms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_161010&initialms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_161010

The San Diego Breastfeeding Center is also happy to continue to collect diapers throughout the year, to be delivered to the IRC on a quarterly basis. Diapers must be in sealed, manufacturer’s packaging in order to be accepted for donation. Larger sized diapers [sizes 4-6] are always in high demand and appreciated.

Thank you again for helping us show our support for refugee families in San Diego!

Donation Drive to Support the International Rescue Committee of San Diego

Anna Choi, BS, IBCLC

Here at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, we love women; we love moms; we love our community. And perhaps most of all, we love helping the women and mothers in our community. When we heard about the recent travel ban put forth by President Trump’s Executive Order, we knew it was time to reach out to our friends at the International Rescue Committee of San Diego to see what we could do to help. In our discussions with IRC San Diego staff, we learned about the devastating effects the Executive Order was having [and would continue to have] on the ability of the IRC to provide support and basic necessities for refugee families who have resettled in San Diego.  As we read about the decision of the U.S. Appeals Court to uphold the suspension of the Trump travel ban, we celebrated with our friends at the IRC. 

David Miliband, President and CEO of the IRC, tells us:

“We are grateful that we can get back to work resettling refugees who have fled the terrors of war and violence, while also caring for those who remain trapped in conflict zones. As this ruling will almost certainly be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, in the meantime, the IRC remains committed to serving our refugee clients here in the U.S. and in more than 40 countries around the world.”

What does this decision mean for the IRC? It means that refugee resettlement cases that were put on hold due to the travel ban can now continue to move forward. Families who have spent years in refugee camps, fleeing war and oppression, can once again look forward to a new life in a safe community. For the IRC San Diego Resettlement Team specifically, it means the arrival of 78 new refugees in the coming days, weeks, and months. Those arriving in San Diego include wives reuniting with husbands, children with parents, brothers with sisters, and friends with friends. It also means an increased need for donations and support from the community. That’s where we, at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, and you, come in!

Some of the more common needs of the IRC San Diego [aside from monetary donations, which you can contribute here: https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-san-diego-ca ] are diapers and women’s hygiene kits. Those arriving in San Diego include three 2-year olds, two 1-year olds, and several pregnant women. As mothers ourselves, we know firsthand how expensive diapers are, and what an impact the expense can make for those on a fixed income. The first few days in San Diego are very transitionary for newly arriving refugees, and as permanent housing and living expenses are arranged, it can be very helpful for IRC staff to have hygiene kits on hand to distribute, helping newly arrived refugees get through their first few days in a new place. 

So, we’ve challenged ourselves to collect 500 diapers and 50 women’s hygiene kits in 50 days. Donated diapers can be any brand and any size, in unopened packages. Hygiene kits should include the following items: 

• 10+ sanitary pads
• wet nap towelettes
• kleenex
• deodorant
• soap
• lotion
• shampoo/conditioner
• toothbrush/toothpaste
• $10 Walmart Gift Card

Today is day 1. Here is a picture of the hygiene kit I created to give you an idea of what the finished product looks like. Kits can include travel sized portions of the above items, or full sized containers, packaged into a gallon ziploc bag or a grocery bag.

Having visited the IRC San Diego offices and spoken with staff members, I can’t tell you enough how much these donations are appreciated and needed. All donations can be dropped off at our weekly Breastfeeding Support Group, held at our office in Hillcrest {3355 4th Ave SD 92103} every Wednesday from 11:30am-1pm. We will also have a Saturday donation collection on Saturday, March 25th from 10am-12pm, also at our Hillcrest office {3355 4th Ave SD 92103}. The last day to drop off donated items is April 19, 2017.  We hope you will help us reach our goal and stand with us as we support the refugee women and mothers in our local community. 

Update on our Kickstarter Project

Well, our 30 days are up for our Kickstarter project and, unfortunately, our Nursing in Public Task Force website project didn't receive the funding that we had hoped for.  We reached about 10% of the funding we needed and I am so incredibly appreciative of the support we received from our generous donors!  

While I am sad that the Nursing in Public Task Force website project will have to be put on hold for now, I am not too discouraged to let it go completely.  Over the next few months, I will be updating the resources on our local Nursing In Public Task Force webpage, speaking at the Annual California Breastfeeding Summit about our project, and hopefully finding other funding sources to pay for this valuable online resource.  So, if you happen to have any ideas for other funding sources (or an amazing benefactor who'd like to pay for the website!), please email me so we can explore these options :-)  

If you would like to stay current on this project, please sign up for our newsletter, as we will be updating our website with new information and resources for nursing in public.

Thanks, again!  This has been an enlightening learning experience for me and I hope to have a huge announcement in the next few months that we have secured funding for this valuable and needed website!

Warmly,

Robin

Join our Movement to Stop Nursing in Public Harassment

We are so excited to announce that we have launched our first Kickstarter campaign today!  It is called the Nursing in Public Task Force Website.  

As you know, the ladies at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center are fierce advocates for protecting a woman's right to breastfeed in public.   This is exactly why we created the San Diego Nursing in Public Task Force in 2013. Too many local moms had been discriminated against and shamed for breastfeeding their babies outside of their homes and we just couldn’t stand by silently anymore!

In these past 2 years, we have helped over a dozen women mediate nursing in public harassment incidents, as well as countless of others to remedy discriminatory incidents on their own.  We feel like the time has come to expand these resources… to help breastfeeding women and businesses/organizations across the country uphold their state laws that protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers and stop these discriminatory acts.

So, how can you help?

Today we launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a national Nursing in Public Task Force website.  The money raised will pay for a website designer, content creation, and a photographer/videographer for the website.  We would be extremely grateful if you would take a few moments out of your day to look at the Kickstarter project.  If you feel like this sounds like a worthy cause, please consider donating and share with your friends (by forwarding this article and sharing on Facebook).  Know that you will be making a difference in thousands of women's and children's lives, as well as creating more tolerant and supportive communities across our country.

Click here to check out our Nursing in Public Task Force Website Kickstarter campaign:

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!  

SDBFC's Newest Pumping/Working Mom Guru!

Written by Anna Choi, IBCLC

When I accepted my current position as an IBCLC at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, I knew what it meant…. time to dust off ye old breast pump and make it my new breast friend again. Clearly, I have one of the best work environments to pump breast milk in: I hang out with cute babies all day long {helps keep my prolactin levels and mama hormones happy}, my coworkers and boss are all fellow IBCLCs {help for any pumping concern is only a step away – literally}, and should I forget a pump part at home, odds are we have an extra in the office. But ladies, I didn’t always work in the land of boobies and after giving birth to my first daughter, I returned to my job as a retail manager and navigated the ups and downs of being a breastfeeding and working mother just like many of you have, or will soon, and I learned quite a bit about pumping and how to make this whole working breastfeeding mom thing work for me.

Here are three most important things I learned during my pumping journey:

1. Hands-on pumping, hands-on pumping, hands-on pumping. If you aren’t massaging your breasts during your pumping session, you are missing out on valuable ounces of liquid gold! I don’t remember what the circumstances were that led me to this valuable piece of information. Maybe I read an article, maybe a friend mentioned it to me, or maybe it happened by accident; but as soon as I realized that massaging and stroking the girls during pumping would yield more ounces [and drain my breasts quicker], you better believe I never pumped again without using this technique.
2. Speak up for yourself. No one else is going to advocate for you and ensure your pumping needs are being met. Yes, it’s fine to be a little flexible [as in bumping your 10am pumping session to 10:30am to accommodate a staff meeting], but do not be intimidated, scared, nervous, whatever to speak up for yourself and politely say that you cannot skip the pumping session altogether and will be pumping immediately following the meeting. Communication is key in these situations. When I worked in retail, we would get slammed on the weekends sometimes; and seeing as I was the Manager, I was working extra hard to keep the chaos organized. Even so, I would clearly tell every employee, “In 15 minutes, I have to pump, I’m doing X,Y, and Z before I take my pump break and then I’ll be back on the floor helping you guys.” It was never an issue because I made sure everyone was getting their breaks and they knew I was pulling my weight and working my butt off just like they were.
3. Relax. When it’s time to pump, leave your work outside and use your pumping time to decompress. I know this is easier said than done, especially when you have a deadline to meet or customers waiting for you. But stressing out about everything on your to-do list while you are on your pump break isn’t helping the situation. So when you sit down to pump, take a deep breath, scan a few pictures of your little one, take a sip of water and relax. Your milk will letdown easier and you will produce more if you aren’t worrying about the pile of work you’ve left behind.

SDBFC is so excited to welcome Anna as the leader of our new Working Moms Breastfeeding Support Group.  Every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, from 10-11:30am, you can hang out with Anna and other working moms, sharing advice about keeping up your milk supply, pumping tips, and ways to keep your sanity as a breastfeeding and working mom. 

Our New Low-Cost Breastfeeding Clinic

Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed, IBCLC

My background is in social justice and urban education.  For the years before I started the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, I worked in inner-city elementary schools and for non-profits, including AmeriCorps, to help bring well-deserved resources and education to underserved communities who needed it the most.  Because of this, one of the biggest challenges I have faced since I started SDBFC was trying to figure out how I could make my expertise and support accessible to ALL breastfeeding mothers... not just the ones who could afford my services.  I have seen over and over again local moms posting on Facebook about how desperate they are for breastfeeding help, yet cannot afford to see a qualified IBCLC and this absolutely breaks my heart!  

Not being able to help these mothers goes against everything I have been taught and everything I stand for.  

No one should be denied qualified breastfeeding assistance and support because of their financial situation.  While I have loved offering community-based breastfeeding support groups, when a mom is faced with a complicated breastfeeding situation, it is almost impossible to receive the necessary attention and follow-up when there are 10-20 other moms in the room, who happen to also be looking for their own support.  

When I founded SDBFC, my 5-year plan was to be able to offer reduced-fee consultations to mothers who needed low-cost options.  Well, we just celebrated our 5-year anniversary and I am thrilled to announce our new low-cost breastfeeding clinic!

Here are the clinic details:

At our 90-minute low cost breastfeeding clinic, up to three moms/babies will meet with a lactation consultant (IBCLC) and receive assistance with their breastfeeding challenges.  

 What takes place at the clinic:

• Baby is evaluated for tongue tie and lip tie
• Breastfeeding position and latch are assessed
• Baby is weighed before and after the feeding to see how much breastmilk was transferred
• Mom is given a personalized Plan of Care

Reasons why a mom would want to attend the clinic:

• Baby not latching or nursing well within 24 hours of birth
• Tongue tie or lip tie
• Nipple pain/damage
• Baby is gaining weight too slowly
• Mom feels like she doesn’t have enough milk
• Nursing multiples
• Nursing a preemie
• Recurrent plugged ducts/mastitis

Requirements: Mom qualifies for WIC, baby has MediCal, or mom or dad must be active duty military.

Cost: $25 

Registration: Mandatory, as space is limited to 3 moms per clinic (www.sdbfc.com/consultations)

My sincere hope is that this is just the beginning of SDBFC making connections with more local communities by providing judgment-free, affordable breastfeeding support for any mom who needs it!  We have many more plans in the works and we are excited to get started!

If you have any local connections to organizations that work with low-income pregnant or new moms, please send me an email (robinkaplan@sdbfc.com) so that I can send them information about our new clinic! 

What Every Mom Should Know About Breastfeeding During the Early Weeks

How much breast milk does my baby need per feeding?
What is common nursing behavior for a newborn?
How will I know that my baby is getting enough?

As a new mom, these are common questions that you may ask your pediatrician, midwife, postpartum nurse, family, and friends and GUESS WHAT..... they may all have a different answer!

How complicated is that?  

Sometimes you may feel like there are ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ and that all of the advice you receive contradicts what you just heard from someone else 5 minutes ago. 

Talk about frustrating! 

Well, one of our goals at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center is to make breastfeeding as seamless and uncomplicated as possible.  We want to empower moms with knowledge and confidence to get breastfeeding off to a great start!

After listening to local moms express discontent about hearing contradictory breastfeeding information, we decided to do something about it.   First, we canvased our local breastfeeding mamas and asked, “What information do you wish you would have known about breastfeeding during those early weeks?”  Then we hired one of those awesome mamas, Elisa Suter, of Paper Doll Design Studios, to design a brochure that shares our top tips that every mom (and pediatrician) should know about breastfeeding during the early weeks.

Here is the final product!  Isn’t it beautiful?  We hope that this brochure provides the clear, consistent, evidence-based breastfeeding information our mamas are looking for.  

If you live in San Diego and would like us to deliver these brochures to your pediatrician's office, please email us at robinkaplan@sdbfc.com. 

If you live outside of San Diego and would like to order the Adobe file to personalize this brochure for YOUR local pediatricians and clients, please email us at robinkaplan@sdbfc.com