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BirthMatters Cherokee County was featured on the front page of the Weekly Ledger in Gaffney and Cherokee County! We are happy to get this type of recognition for the community doula program...continue doing a great job!

Happy Holidays from BirthMatters

BirthMatters wants you to join the excitement.

What are we celebrating? Not one but two graduations.

On November 8, 2011 in Spartanburg BirthMatters celebrated the completion of the peer breastfeeding counselor training. For ten weeks we met every Tuesday at the Spartanburg County Library for 3 hours…this is the special group of trainees that participated.

BirthMatters provided the training to our doula team from Cherokee and Spartanburg to help increase knowledge so we can better serve our families and increase our breastfeeding rates for three and six months. BirthMatters invited a graduate mom that has a successful breastfeeding relationship with her daughter. Her beautiful daughter received a special crown for her participation. On November 17, in Cherokee County, we celebrated the community doula graduation. This group of ladies completed the community doula training. This training is twenty sessions for three hours each week. We gathered to share stories and enjoyed a nice diner together at the Olive Garden in Gaffney. Each participate received a framed completion certificate and spoke about what the training had meant to them.

BirthMatters Video

Video Spotlight on BirthMatters

One of our funders, the Mary Black Foundation, has put together this wonderful spotlight video on BirthMatters! Click here to view this video...BirthMatters to Us

Think Pink...Think Breastfeeding!

Breastfeeding Matters to Megan and Ethan...

In celebration of Breastfeeding this month, we sat down and had a conversation with Megan Bolton...a breastfeeding mom in the Spartanburg community. Here are a few of the thouhgts she shared with us...

I decided to breastfeed because of the great information my doula, Sissy, gave me about the benefits of doing it for both the baby and myself. Some of these included: mother-baby bonding, faster weight loss for me, and breastmilk is more nutritional for the baby than formula is.

Some of my friends and coworkers that don't have children, and even some who do, did not understand the benefits of breastfeeding. They often had questions like: Does it hurt? How do you feel about nursing when you are not at home? Some didn't understand it becuase they see breasts a sexual objects and not tools to breastfeed your baby. I have tried to educate them about this normal behavior.

Going back to work was tough because the setting did not accomodate my need to pump, as a result, I had to start nursing in the morning and at night only. In the beginning, I had to learn how to focus and ignore my phone. I had change habits like texting my friends. I started to realize that I became frustrated when trying to nurse Ethan while I did these things at the same time. I learned that I needed to focus on him in that moment and remain relaxed. I did not realize that my inability to relax would impact my ability to nurse properly and how Ethan latched on.

What I love about breastfeeding was the bondin experience with Ethan and it was overall a great experience. Also, I loved the fact that I lost my weight quickly! I am amased about how the body works (supply and demand; my body's ability to produce just enough milk to meet Ethan's needs.)

I would strong encourage anyone who is pregnant to breastfeed their baby!

Celebrate Worldwide Breastfeeding Month!