DBM Giveaway #1!

Hi everyone,

Wow - we've reached 3,000 'likes' on Facebook!  :D 

Thank you all so much for supporting each other through the group page. 

I've never been quite sure how other the groups I see on Facebook are able to do 'giveaways' (and I felt a bit silly asking them....!),  so I haven't been in a position to do any sort of giveaway before.  However, when I realised we were coming up on the 3,000 'likes' mark I posted to asking for suggestions as to how to celebrate the event, and I was basically inundated with hugely generous offers of things to give away from a variety of sources! 

 

We have had some really amazing offers, so I've decided to 'spread' the giveaway out a bit, doing one at a time.  Not only does it keep the fun going a bit longer, but it also gives me more time to organise everything!  :)

I've decided to run the giveaways through the blog.  Firstly it ensures that I don't break any of Facebook's rules (there are so many....), and it means I can keep track of entries much more easily through the comments.  Things on the group page have a tendency to disappear pretty quickly these days. 
Feel free to share this link with your friends - they don't have to 'like' DBM to enter, though it would be great if more people learned a bit about breastfeeding obviously!


In order to enter our FIRST giveaway, please answer the following question correctly:

Which journalist (unknowingly!) became the 'inspiration' behind the DBM project in June 2010? 

• a)  Miranda Levy
• b)  Liat Hughes Joshi  
• c)  Kathryn Blundell      

Leave your name (or at least part of it!) along with your answer (a, b or c!), as a comment underneath this post.  The winner will be selected (using state-of-the-art technology known as 'the toddler and a bucket') in one week from now - on the 6th April, and I will come looking for you via the Facebook group.  NB - If the gift isn't claimed within 1 week of the winner being announced via the group, I will ask my glamorous assistant to choose another winner!

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I can't quite believe we've been offered such an amazing prize to share with the group, but here is what Antoinette of Les Marguerites in the SOUTH OF FRANCE has offered our first lucky winner....

Two nights luxury accommodation in the 'Balcony Room' of her (stunning!) 5 bed guest house, situated in the medieval village of Alet les Bains, Languedoc. 

http://www.les-marguerites.fr/

'It is a large room that overlooks the garden, it has it's own sitting room and a connecting door to the twin bedded room next door, there is also a cot in that room, that can either stay in the twin room or be moved to be in with the parents'

Of course you'll need to make your own travel arrangements, but Carcassonne airport is easily reached via Ryanair from all over the UK and Ireland (30 minutes drive from Les-Marguerites), or you also have the option to travel to Toulouse airport - which is just over an hour away by car.  For those looking to keep costs down Antoinette has even offered to pick the winners up from Carcassone airport! 
This giveaway is open to anyone, wherever they live, so long as they are able to transport themselves to the South of France!  You can read glowing reviews from previous guests at Les-Marguerites here.

Antoinette and Keith are very supportive of breastfeeding, and the story of their 'dream' relocation to the South of France was featured in Channel 5's 'Build a New Life in the Country' show last year.  They have lovingly restored the property themselves and I have no doubt that the winner will have an unforgettable stay with them, whenever they decide to go.   You can choose to stay anytime of the year except July or August.

'They look forward to welcoming you to Les Marguerites and giving you the chance to live the dream with them!'

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DON'T WORRY if you don't win this time.. 
There are more fab freebies on their way thanks to:

http://www.boobbaby.co.uk/

http://www.lactivist.co.uk/

www.more4mums.co.uk

http://www.kjransonphotography.co.uk
(More of Kate's artwork can be viewed here)

Does your baby have Tongue Tie?

I want to share 'permanently' this link for anyone currently experiencing breastfeeding problems, or who may have missed it on the FB group.

If your baby has tongue tie (also known as ankyloglossia) it can make breastfeeding very tough going indeed.  The infant is unable to milk the breast effectively because they're not able to use full range of tongue movement.  This can lead to painful, cracked nipples, engorgement (possibly leading to mastitis), and problems in establishing a good milk supply (as not enough milk is being removed from the mother's breast).  One study showed that mother/ infant dyads where tongue tie was a factor were over 8 times more likely to experience problems breastfeeding.

Sadly it's something which is very often missed by the professionals despite being relatively common.  Some mums struggle on for weeks in pain, until they eventually give up - many feeling a failure because they 'couldn't breastfeed'. 

To my mind, if our health care providers were really determined to support breastfeeding, they would be trained to add a careful tongue tie check to their list of other newborn checks.

It's quite easy to spot a really severe anterior tongue tie (see links for pictures), but other types are much easier to miss.  This link is brilliant since it gives some really clear descriptions of what to look out for and has excellent images for reference.

The treatment for tongue tie is simple, quick and usually gives excellent relief to both parties.  Babies can often breastfeed straight away.  The sooner the procedure is done the better for all concerned, especially bearing in mind how important it is for the breastfeeding relationship.  In very young babies it can usually be done using minimal anaesthetic - so you can see how important it is to identify the condition quickly.   Some babies even  sleep through the whole thing!

More information about tongue tie and it's treatment (frenulotomy) can be found here.   This is a link to the NICE guidance concerning the procedure. 

It's perhaps also worth knowing that tongue tie doesn't just affect breastfeeding.  It can also affect the child's ability to eat solid food effectively, and also their speech. 

Awareness is key in helping new mums breastfeed their babies.  

An additional issue you might want to be aware of is the possibility of a lip tie.   This is where the lip is too tightly attached to the gums by it's frenulum.   Lip tie is a good deal less well-recognised than tongue tie - but it can affect the child's freedom to turn their lips outwards and thus establish a good latch.  DBM member, Cara Del Favero contacted me to raise awareness of this problem, and she has provided some helpful links for this blog which you can access these here, here and especially here.

Remember - if you're having problems breastfeeding TALK TO A BREASTFEEDING SPECIALIST.  There is a list of support line numbers on the side of this blog (they're either free or just the cost of a local call), and you can look up your nearest UK-based IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) here.