How volunteering rocks my world, plus breastfeeding news!

Breastfeeding a baby to sleep: classed as a bad sleep habit but a lifesaver for some mums

As I have already explained in an older post How I became a Homeworker, I find volunteering very rewarding from a personal and professional point of view. I get a warm feeling when I can donate my time to a good cause and it also benefits my working life.

I started volunteering in 1994 and through that first role as a fundraiser I acquired database and computer skills, plus learnt how to write a charity mail shot. This led to temporary bookings as database researcher, which was my first media job.

Between 1997 and 1999 I was in the committee of Women in Publishing, when I found the 'lost' archive and organised a few events. One was about independent bookshops and featured, among others, the occult bookshop Watkins! I volunteered for WiP hoping to get a job in book publishing but then switched to magazines after I trained as a subeditor. Still, I met many wonderful women, got some confidence and did chat to Fay Weldon, one of my fave feminist writers, at a Wip Christmas party.

So when I took maternity leave in January 2007,  I was itching to do something else and started volunteering for the NCT in the newsletter team. After some training I added another arrow to my volunteering bow by becoming a breastfeeding helper with the BfN. While the first role consolidated my writing/design skills and led me to specialise in parenting as a freelance writer, the latter gave me valuable knowledge about breastfeeding, which, again helped my writing. There is so much conflicting information about breastfeeding and knowing where to look and how things really work help me write good material. Recently I started helping out at my daughter's preschool, which is just lovely.

So after singing the praises of volunteering, here are some breastfeeding news, courtesy of my Google alert...

Is breastfeeding really best? Mum of five Aileen Hickie says mothers should not be bullied into breastfeeding... click here to read more.

I felt sad reading this article. Ireland has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe.

Facebook has 'boobed' by banning a picture of a woman breastfeeding her baby... click here to read more. 

Hip Hip Hooray... the penny has finally dropped! I know quite a few women who have proudly put pics up that have been censored.

"I need some advice about giving up breastfeeding. Please don’t judge me harshly. I have battled for six weeks trying to do it, but I am so miserable and am getting very down about it. Click here to read more.

Again, I felt really sad reading this as she has looked for help but cannot cope. I looked up stopping breastfeeding and there was very little info online, even on trusted encyclopedic websites like La Leche League International and Kellymom. As breastfeeding charities are supportive of mums’ choices, this question should be addressed fully. Going cold turkey, especially in the early weeks, could lead to engorgement and even mastitis. I also think that more expressing information should be out there as some mums might want to stop breastfeeding but still wish to give breast milk to their baby. The BfN has a great expressing leaflet here.

Breastfeeding moms don't get less sleep, says a headline on Reuters’ website. Click here to read more.
Yes, they actually get more sleep - this study proved it three years ago.

Breastfeeding is now compulsory in Indonesia as a law has been passed that stipulates all babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Click here to read more.
Wow! There are fines up to £7,000 and a prison sentence up to one year. Some might think it’s a case of nanny state but according to a recent government survey, "almost 40% of the children under five who were surveyed reported stunted growth due to malnutrition".

How I became a home worker

When I started maternity leave in January 2007 I planned to take a year off and resume my career as inhouse freelance subeditor. I had been doing it for over a decade, so it seemed like the easy option - I had lots of contacts in the industry and knew there would be work for me provided I could find reliable childcare for my child. Mind you, I envied freelancers who could work from home but knew that in my sector opportunities were rare, plus you needed expensive equipment and software. Despite using MACs at work, I had a modest PC at home and no fancy design software.

I soon realised I was missing work so jumped at the chance of using my skills for the NCT, which is the leading parenting charity in the UK. I had become a member before doing their antenatal classes and heard that they were looking for a volunteer to help the newsletter editor at the East London branch. I ended up coediting various newsletters, churning out articles and designing my half with zero budget (we had only money for printing costs). I was lucky to secure a free copy of QuarkXpress by buying a PC magazine so I could use the professional software I was accustomed to. I did enjoy both the writing and the design side. One year later, I was not ready to go back to work. I was enjoying a busy life as charity volunteer, doing some editing work from home (not much though) and training as a breastfeeding helper with the Breastfeeding Network. I started to volunteer for this second charity by assisting my tutor who ran a breastfeeding drop-in in East London. In summer 2008, just before the credit crunch hit the country, I moved to Rugby, where I became involved with the NCT, became newsletter designer and editor of the local newsletter and got involved with the Rugby Breastfeeding Cafe as a volunteer.

Not being in London meant a longer commute if I wanted to resume my career as subeditor. The recession also meant less freelance work so although I had set up my writing and editing business (and created a website to plug it), I was mostly giving Italian lessons and even taught an evening class at a local institute. Then I heard of a new parenting website that needed product testers and I sent my CV. I started writing product reviews, while running two blogs (this one about parenting and one about eco-friendly thrifting) and volunteering for my charities.

In November 2009 we moved to Cambridge, where I joined the local NCT branch and became involved with the newsletter and started volunteering at breastfeeding drop-ins. Soon after our move I got an email from an advertising agency who wanted me to write breastfeeding and baby care copy. It turned out to be a big project so I left tutoring behind and became a fully-fledged online copywriter, contributing to parenting websites whenever I could. I have recently started indexing academic journals, which is regular work and makes me feel that my degree in Political Sciences is of some use.

So far I have produced several NCT newsletters for various branches and learnt a lot about design, commissioning, advertising and the printing process. As a subeditor for major national magazines I was part of a big team, so I was only involved in editing, rewriting, writing the odd feature, fact-checking and perhaps a bit of design but didn’t have to concern myself with production processes, distribution, overall costs and advertising revenue. I kept in touch with the media industry through moderating a group called subsuk (from 2006 till practically yesterday) but have given this up as I am now a copywriter more than a journalist. I’m not the only one, most people I know from journo forums have moved into PR, advertising, corporate writing and more lucrative fields. Aside writing and indexing I volunteer for my two charities and have started to get involved in my daughter’s preschool activities.

So this is the story so far. The picture at the top is my office, basically an antique kitchen table (there is nice wooden top under the plastic cloth) full of useful junk. Below it’s my filing unit, which is a pine dresser my father made bespoke for the kitchen of my previous house. Inside there are backup DVDs and office supplies, on the shelves you can see my reference library and various odds and ends belonging to my child, including her red book and craft materials. More stationery is parked on top of the blue chest of drawers, one of my ‘revamp junk furniture’ projects.

There is a spare room upstairs which has been kitted out as an office but it’s not practical as I need to keep an eye on my daughter when she is at home. She goes to preschool three hours every afternoon and unless my partner is at home, she is around while I toil away. If I need total silence I work after she has gone to bed or wake up really early in the morning.

Now over to you! If you work from home, feel free to link up relevant blog posts and leave comments. I confess I do miss social interaction but not the commuting to different workplaces every week (unless I got a long-term gig) nor the office politics, from which an inhouse freelancer is not totally immune.

Adopt a vineyard row in Italy

I believe in giving back to the community, so I have been a volunteer for different causes for several years. Since I have become a parent, my charities of choice have been the NCT and the Breastfeeding Network. I have been involved with NCT newsletters since 2007 and with the BfN since 2008. I'm currently editing/designing the Cambridge NCT newsletter and volunteering as Breastfeeding Helper at local NHS baby clinics. But what has a picture of a vineyard got to do with all this?
   
When I visited my family in Italy in August, I heard of another good cause, which I'd like to showcase here. I grew up in a small village called Castagnole Lanze, located in Piedmont between Asti and Alba. For those of you who don't know the region, the capital city is Turin, where the 2006 Winter Olympics were held. Asti is renown for its Palio and wines (don't be fooled by dire Asti Spumante versions sold in supermarkets), Alba has a donkey Palio and a truffle fair. That's where the prestigious white truffle comes from - its nickname 'the white diamond' says it all. Piedmont wines are hearty and full of body (Barbera, the famous Barolo, Barbaresco... click Piedmont wines for more info).

Now, this initiative, which struck such a cord that it made national TV news, is championed by local residents with the support of the council. All is explained at www.lanze.it, which has an English version. All you have to do is to download a form, fill it and email it back with your payment.

The adoption contract consists of:  

• Choice of the row in your favourite vineyard
• Name and surname of the adoptee on the adopted row wooden head stake
• Instant information on the status of the adopted row by webcam on the website
• Opportunity to visit and attend the row processing, harvesting and winemaking
• A minimum of 12 bottles of 0.75 litres of high quality Barbera
• Personalised label with name and surname of the adoptee, row number and name of the vineyard
• Possibility of presenting the row to friend or loved one as a unique gift

These are the objectives of the campaign:   

• Land and wine landscape safeguard and protection, as a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage List
• Ensuring the survival of grapes producers, custodians of the land
• Search more high-quality product in the bottle
• Creation of tourist itineraries in the territory
• Encourage and reward "loyal Tourism"

Interested? Visit www.lanze.it for more info.

A row of Barbera

First impressions on living in Cambridge

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

We have been in Cambridge barely over a week and I feel at home already.

On the day of our move, the Queen visited the city to participate in the University's 800th anniversary celebrations. We missed the pageantry, all we saw were boxes and massive pieces of furniture being unloaded from two huge trucks.

Having relocated from London to Rugby and then from Rugby to Cambridge, I have lost a fair amount of friends and acquaintances. But I can recommend volunteering as a way to fit in quickly wherever you live.

Since the birth of my daughter I have been volunteering for two children’s charities: the NCT and the BfN. So as soon as I knew I was heading here, I contacted them both. Soon after my arrival, I went to an NCT meeting and a social, tomorrow I am going to a BfN drop-in for breastfeeding mums.

Today another opportunity to get involved locally arose when the organiser of the neighbourhood watch turned up, so yes, I’m going to a meeting next week.

This week I also met with an NCT member I used to know when we both lived in London and also with a mum from mumsnet. So internet forums can be handy too. And talking about the internet, there is a great local site for people living in Cambridge: Cambride Online. It has reviews and links to anything in the city.

I’m looking forward to experience all Cambridge has to offer. When I was living in Rugby, I did miss the buzz I get from living in a city, the cosmopolitan mix and the amenities. I'm not looking forward to buying our home as the property market is hard to crack here. For the moment we are renting and it's such a quiet area, despite being not too far from the centre.

Code 2ZJB8MW8R943

Breast Cancer: opinions and initiatives

Following my earlier posts on Cancer, I have been browsing the net and bumped into the website of the Prime Minister's Office (www.number10.gov.uk), which states : 'The NHS breast cancer screening programme currently diagnoses more than 14,000 cases of breast cancer each year and saves about 1,400 lives each year, but in 2008 more than a quarter of women failed to take up the opportunity to be screened.' These are scary figures that cannot be ignored.

Breastfeeding and cancer
In the BfN volunteers' forum, a discussion has started regarding the minimisation  of breastfeeding as a factor that can decrease the risk of breast cancer on a charity's website (http://breakthrough.org.uk/breast_cancer/breast_cancer_facts/risk_factors_general_information/reduce_my_risk.html). I stole a look and agree that the page doesn't mention breastfeeding and when you download the PDF with the full list of factors, breastfeeding is mentioned in a dismissive way. 


Cooking for chemo
Sarah Stewart who set up  Bollocks to Breast Cancer Campaign after being diagnosed with breast cancer this year, sent me a 'tasteful' press release. Eckington Manor Cookery School in Worcestershire is running a unique cookery demonstration for women going through breast cancer treatment. The event is on the night of 23 October (7.00pm to 8.30pm) as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Cancer treatment is long, arduous and affects every part of a sufferer's life. Most of us know that people often lose their hair during chemo, but few realise the host of additional  problems, such as issues with eating. As well as experiencing a metallic taste, the chemicals affect the immune system leaving the mouth sore or prone to infections. Patients often crave food that is either warm or well chilled or feel like nothing at all because of nausea.

Eckington's owner, Judy Gardner, says: 'Not only is nutrition critical when a person is going through chemo but also the taste, texture and temperature are vital too. I’ve supported so many friends through treatment, I know it’s a time when the right sort of food can provide great comfort. The evening is aimed at patients themselves, their friends and family and anyone keen to know more about healthy food in its very literal sense.'

Tutor chef Dean Cole will show participants how to prepare the following dishes, each designed to offer different benefits to chemo patients:

• Mustard Prawns
• Speedy Beef Noodles
• Apple Fool

Also on hand will be Worcester Royal Hospital’s dietician, Ladan Hajihassani, to answer specific questions on nutrition. The price is £12.50 per person which includes the demonstration, tasters of the dishes and a recipe pack to take home. Tickets are available by calling the school on 01386 751600.

Eckington Manor is also running a raffle through to Christmas to raise money for the Worcester Breast Unit. Visit www.eckingtonmanorcookeryschool.co.uk for further information, additional course details and costs. 

Can swine influenza really increase breastfeeding rates?

I've been volunteering as a breastfeeding helper in Rugby for over a year now and found that breastfeeders are a minority. 

This became apparent when I manned a stall at a children's centre during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week in May. I stood on my own for a long while despite having brochures, freebies and lots of breastfeeding material. I soon got bored and cruised the room to talk to mums who were attending a busy play session. Some looked at my badge and looked sheepish when they admitted they were bottlefeeding, others were keen to get information on weaning, teething and mixed feeding - hot topics at the cafe as some mums turn up with older babies or keep coming after the first months.

Chatting with the coordinator today, I found out that the number of breastfeeding mothers is going up since the advent of swine flu. Mothers who didn’t intend to breastfeed are worried about the threat and are giving breastfeeding a go. 

The topic was covered in the latest BfN’s newsletter. For those of you who cannot be bothered to read lengthy articles, here's the feature in a nutshell: ‘Breastfeeding may not prevent babies catching flu, however, in the current absence of a vaccine, best available research suggests that exclusive breastfeeding is the most important thing you can do to help reduce the risk of your baby suffering from associated complications such as pneumonia and chest infections.'


Resources: the Department of Health offers a factsheet on Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Swine Flu at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Children/Maternity/Maternalandinfantnutrition/DH_099965

Read the NCT's comprehensive guide for mums-to-be and parents at http://www.nct.org.uk/info-centre/information/view-117

If you are breastfeeding and getting treated for swine flu, visit http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/Anti_viral_treatment_for_swine_influenza_April_2009.pdf.