Native American Mamas tribe - Page 3

[mamabuzzybee]

WI Native contact

Hi all--
The woman in WI who runs the breastfeeding advocacy program is a great asset--she's non-native but has a passion that is extraordinary. Her name is Barb Stoddard and she works for Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, and their number toll free is 800-472-7207 (that's from memory, it its wrong their other number is 715 588 3324). She worked with my mom when I was a teen, and it is because of her that I new as a 15 year old that feeding formula (if you can breastfeed) is doing a detriment to your child and that longterm breastfeeding is natural. And that breastfeeding is beautiful.

Little Bear's Mama said (sorry I can't figure out quotes once you start a message)
"I have set up some information on breastfeeding and Native health at pow wows I have attended before. I have also considered sponsoring a nursing mothers booth or baby changing station at a pow wow to help get some information out there. Have you ever seen this and what would you think about it if you did?"

I've been playing around with starting a business so I can be home with my kiddo (and potential kiddos) after I'm done with grad school, and the focus would be stuff for Native kids--for a pow-wow stand and an online store. One aspect I really want with the vending stand is a tent for moms to come and breastfeed--and others are welcome also. There would be toys, and a place to do diapers, and food and snacks for the breastfeeding mothers. I think I could actually find grant monies that could help defray the costs. And of course there would be plenty of informational stuff. I'd like to do some Native-specific breastfeeding advocacy products too. The only stuff I can really find has a woman in buckskin, with her long black hair flowing, and feathers in her hair--don't get me wrong, I don't HATE that kind of stuff, but I really think its important to show women that all Native women can relate to. Plus I think those kinds of images seem like ones white people do because they can only see is as positive when viewed through the lens of the past.

Alrighty, my kiddo wants a bath, so I'll write more in a bit.

[rrr]

what about those breastfeeding dolls like what they sell thru LLL catalogue? those could be made native american specific and wd. be great for kids? my kids love ours. baby fits up inside tummy, too. rrr

[Potty Diva]

There's a mama on Amitymamas who does Waldorf style dolls and Iam sure I have seen her do native ones as well. I know I have seen multi-cultural nursing dolls from LLL.

[Little Bear's Mama]

Welcome Potty Diva!
My SIL is dating a Lumbee. He sings with the koatano(sp?)jrs.

Wow! Alot of great ideas floating around. I'm so excited to "meet" other moms with the same vision as mine. I hope we all can continue brainstorming and perhaps put some of these ideas into action!

I live far away from any large NA communities,but I can bring the info to the places where people gather,such as pow wows. At the booth I mentioned,a friend and I gave out info sheets on whole foods,diabetes,using native foods to prevent and heal disease,and breastfeeding. I also included some LLL pamphlets. We sold some fruit juices and coffee to help with our expenses. We broke even. I have an idea for something similar to what you mentioned,rrr...well,it's EXACTLY what you mentioned. I would like to have a booth in an area facing the arena where the moms could still watch,and not feel cut-off. I would like to have some comfy chairs,nutritious snacks,maybe a fan?,a diaper changing area,and TONS of info. AND I agree that I would like to see some breastfeeding info geared towards the NA mom. In fact,I have a friend who might be able to help me there!

This is so cool

[Little Bear's Mama]

I LOVE the doll idea,and those would be fairly easy to make!
What about nursing necklaces with a NA theme?
Baby Pendletons,or Star blankets?

[rrr]

what is a nursing necklace. what wd. it looke like? the nursing dolls we bought at LLL conference were on sale for 10$. veryaffordable, but too much time to make. they had 3 or 4 little pieces of clothing. a lot of work---but a great idea. how to simplify?

new idea: are there native chat groups? how about a breastfeeding forum there? or set up a link to this forum? what could be easier?

chinook have a website. i'm gonna see if i can set up a link. tell us what you know about native communications besides the less convenient pow wow. rrr

[Potty Diva]

The Lumbee Tribe has an official site with links to other Lumbee members site and businesses. It would seem most tribes would have a site. Perhaps advertising/advocating natural/breastfeeding info and products there?

[Little Bear's Mama]

Nursing necklaces:necklaces made to be worn while nursing,used to distract busy hands and keep a distractable baby interested in nursing. They are made out of beads(different shapes,sizes,colors)and are usually made of brightly colored,muted,or even red,white and black beads for the newer babies.

Communications: I know that the Winnebago of NE have a website,and the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho(C&A)has one as well.
I don't know of any NA chat,aside from those on MSN. I know of www.powwows.com ,we could probably get a link there.
What about setting up a chat room on AIM or something similar?

[mamabuzzybee]

Yahoo has a ton of groups that are focused on Native people, though I've tried to subscribe to them an there's so much in fighting or other bullsh*t that it wasn't worth staying.

I think nowadays almost every tribe that has any money coming in has a website, though I question how much use posting on individual tribal sites might be. I guess although we are all computer savvy, I think of my home and my sister and friends, who although they may know how, aren't really online much. I'm one who's more for face to face stuff, which is why being at pow-wows and conferences really appeals to me.

Do any of you struggle with how to be traditionally respectful while doing advocation work? I am a relatively young person, 24, and I have a hard time imagining doing advocation work in my community because of issues with respect, and a long tradition of refraining from telling others what to do. I'd like to consider getting certified as a lactation consultant and doula when I'm done with school and serving in a consultancy basis where the information is provided when it is requested--I feel comfortable with that, but outright advocation seems touchy to me.

JMO
Lea

[plum]

Hi, I'm Jamie and I am going to have my first baby in a couple of weeks. Just wanted to say hi to the new Indian moms on the thread.

[rrr]

First why don't you describe what you think would be disrespectful. then we can think of alternative ways to reach same goals. rrr

[MFuglei]

Hey ladies, wanted to introduce myself. I'm Tinde (Jicarilla Apache) and Tsa La Gi (yup, my grandmother was a Cherokee princess :LOL ). I'm not enrolled in either tribe due to a slacker of a grandfather who abandoned the family - a long and sadly not uncommon story. I'm a 26 year old mama to an 8 1/2 month old baby girl, Lilly. I'm married to a Amer-European guy with little to no knowledge of NA issues. . . he's not dismissive of me, culturally, he just doesn't know much. I took him to Denver March powwow this year and he was in AWE (well, DUH!). Wanted to put that intro before I popped out of the blue to address this:

Originally posted by mamabuzzybee

Do any of you struggle with how to be traditionally respectful while doing advocation work? I am a relatively young person, 24, and I have a hard time imagining doing advocation work in my community because of issues with respect, and a long tradition of refraining from telling others what to do. I'd like to consider getting certified as a lactation consultant and doula when I'm done with school and serving in a consultancy basis where the information is provided when it is requested--I feel comfortable with that, but outright advocation seems touchy to me.

Mamabuzzybee - that's been an issue for me for a lng time. I'm very fair complected despite our heritage and I grew up far far away from the rez, your typical disconnected Urban ndn. What was even harder was that most of my activism was in Omaha, NE -- and while I loved working with the U'ma'ha and Ponca, it was tough because it took lots of time and patience to earn a presence in the community.

Most of my advocacy work was for the University of Nebraska in recruitment and retention of NA students as well as teaching many of them in my English courses, doing volunteer tutoring, and just keeping track of everyone. It was much easier because they came to me -- with one NA graduate student on campus, where else were they to go???

But now - I find myself in a new town (Denver) and I've only been here for a few years. I'm completely tribally disconnected and suffering from some major homesickness. I've sort of been floundering and it's been difficult. . . that said, it's nice to find you mamas!

[Little Bear's Mama]

Welcome back,Apple! Glad to hear you're doing well.

Welcome,MFuglei!

Mamabuzzybee,
I understand what you mean about being disrespectful. I'm sure,together,we can find a way to state what needs to be stated and offend the least amount of people possible while doing it!
IMHO,NA women really do need the kind of support that we mostly aren't getting elsewhere. I would LOVE to see that changed. I think it would be great to have some info out there that is geared towards the NA woman that takes into account the concerns that are unique to NA culture. Maybe more women would accept the info that way? Maybe together we can find a way to state the important information without sounding "preachy",or crossing the line into being disrespectful.
Is that addressing your concern at all? Or is your concern something entirely different? Please feel free to explain,I'm quite dense sometimes.

[onecolville]

new colville user

Hey,
I'm colville and living in the midwest....

[Little Bear's Mama]

Welcome,onecolville!

[rrr]

what kind of interaction feels disrespectful to you? specifics will lead to productive ideas. thanks, rrr

[JessicaS]

I am not certain what you mean either. I do know NAs are more prone to ear infections and nursing helps lower the risk. So maybe compile a comprehensive list of things that NAs are more at risk for and various ways to help them avoid those things.

Is that what you mean?

[mamabuzzybee]

Sorry for the delay--I had a very long post ready to send, but got called away from the computer, then someone closed my browser. D*mn!

BTW-Hey OneColville

Alrighty. There are a number of reasons why I'd say that I'm hesitant about advocacy in my community. Some for personal reasons and some for traditional reasons. Firstly, the personal. I'm the youngest in a family of 8--I've learned how to keep my mouth shut. I left the reservation 7 years ago to go to school and although I return at least once a month, I am no longer really a part of the community. Don't know if I ever truly was—I was a “good” girl—like school, wasn’t allowed out of the house to party, wasn’t allowed to 49 at pow-wows (I was a “camper” girl as my partner calls it—I had to stay at the camp with my gramma). So though I lived on the rez, and danced at pow-wows all my life, I spent most of my time with my family, and knew the pow-wow dancing/singing crowd, but did not interact with the party crowd, which is a lot of the rez. When I go home now and talk with friends who are having kids, I ask about breastfeeding and they firmly reply it isn’t anything they are interested in, or that they tried and it didn’t work. And from here, the traditional teachings come in—though traditional child rearing practices are far and few in between (with the exception of extended family involvement)—what is still traditional are the notions about telling people what to do. I have to dance around the concept of breastfeeding—I talk about myself and what a good experience it has been for me, trying to work in obesity/SIDs/diabetes factors when I can without sounding preachy. There have always been subtle insinuations that I thought I knew more than everyone else—even from my family—so to try to find a way to speak about breastfeeding and childrearing without getting those vibes is difficult. I am also a relative young person, though not a young mom by rez standards, LOL, at 24, and that also makes it hard.

I see advocacy folks around here in Madison as being out there, and at times, being in your face. And I cheer inside for them. But I couldn’t do that at home. I would be shunned as a no-it-all and dismissed as quick as can be. At this point all I feel like I can do is be an example, bf my 19mo old in public, carrying her in a sling and raving about it when people are curious. I also try to be a gentle parent, and be very patient and gentle with other kids when their parents are around.

At this point, I’m thinking of getting certified as a lactation consultant when I finish grad school, and that I’d do consultation work with tribes who request help. I’m in WI and we have the breastfeeding program through Great Lake Inter-Tribal Council, and that’s a good resource. However, as dedicated and wonderful as the woman who runs it is, she is non-Native and that does make a difference—sometimes good and sometimes bad. I’d like to be able to do hands-on work with Native women.

So, I’m comfortable with the thought of helping people who ask, but and uncomfortable with finding the means to actively advocate breastfeeding among the folks most unlikely to be willing to try (and who are most in need of help).

I feel like there have been 2 or 3 generations of non-breastfeeders, and the “geez, when my gramma didn’t breastfeed, why should I?” attitude is very strong. And on my rez, body image among women isn’t exactly strong—most of us still wear Tshirts and shorts to swim, and those who have bodies seem to showcase them only in sexual ways. I think breastfeeding freaks a lot of women out because breasts are seen as sexual in the mainstream and that’s it.

Ahhhh. Please excuse my ramblings. This is a hard one for me. I so strongly have the urge to advocate, but don’t know how to go about doing it. I’ve played around with switching my field of study from education to family studies so I can work with families. I’d love to work with elders who were raised in traditional ways and write down their narratives. My partner’s gramma is so supportive of what we’re doing, not because she understands it on an intellectual level, but because it was what she was taught. Most important thing for a mother to do is never let your infant cry. She told us that “those babies choose to come here and if they’re not happy, they’ll leave” and you have to work to make them comfortable and happy.

I think about that when I think of our astronomical SIDs rates. I thing I believe that basic (and advanced too) science and spirituality are one in the same—that the energy science talks about is a spiritual thing. And that part of who a spirit comes from who you are—and part of who you are depends on your genes. If those spirits are coming to us and they are a part of what came before, then they remember how spirits should be treated because it was only a few generations ago that we all raised babies in respectful ways. Maybe those spirits leave because they’re not getting what they expect. Does that make sense? It does to me, particularly when I think about the “scientific” facts that breastfeeding and cosleeping reduce the rates of SIDs.

Alrighty, that’s enough for now. I could go on and on and on. J Thanks Mommas.

[plum]

Wow, mamabuzzybee, that was very well-put.

I understand what you are saying about breastfeeding being lost and breasts being seen as only sexual. I had to laugh about the girls swimming in shirts and shorts because my younger sisters all do that and they were scandalized when I bought a (modest) bikini.

I am seeing this now in my own family. I am planning on breastfeeding and while I know it is better, I wouldn't feel comfortable telling anyone else in my family they should do it (for instance, my SIL). Mostly because it would turn them off and they would think I thought I was better than them. My mom breastfed, but she still doesn't expect that anyone else would want to.

[rrr]

AHHHHH. good answer. now we have something to think about. one idea leads to another.

1. can you start interviewing the elder women on the topic of traditional childbirth and babyrearing, including breastfeeding. buy a small tape recorder and gather a bit of priceless history.

2. the venues for sharing the stories of these women are endless, but here's a great one: middle and high school health class.
you can approach individual teachers about this idea and also find out who creates the curriculum for helath classes in the district. are there classes in school designed to teach traditional ways, too?

children and young teens are the perfect audience for teaching abuot breasts and breastfeeding. of course, later they find out that the breast has some sexual applications, but then primary function of the breast is to feed children! it should be the first lesson that kids have about the breast, too.

the secondary function of the breast, is that through the act of breastfeeding, especially extended breastfeeding, the mother builds up her own health. 2 ways are reduced breast and ovarian cancer risk. i've been nursing everyday for the last 7 years and can attest to the daily and monthly benefit of evenly regulated hormones and neurotransmitters. feel better, think clearly, bond to my children.

if there are elder women who want a chance to talk about the ancient ways of childbirth and babyrearing/breastfeeding, maybe you could show them how the studies confirm them. you could help to create a 20 or 30 minute program using video or live speakers. show how things are coming full circle.

how's that for ambitious? rrr