I have been in my element these past few weeks blogging intensively about breastfeeding and watching the World Cup, the largest sporting event on our planet earth.

Every four years I overdose on watching the ‘Beautiful Game’; it is called soccer here in the U.S. and football (futbol) in the rest of the world.  The  coverage of  the 2010 World Cup from South Africa has been amazing.  In the past, I had to watch most of the matches on my local Spanish language channel or at a bar with closed-circuit tv because they were not aired in English until the semi-finals.   

This year, I have watched it not only in pubs or my home, but also on my phone at Starbucks. Twitter and Facebook have allowed me to share the experience in real time with family, friends and fellow fans all over the world.  Social networking in its most pure form.

It has struck me on more than one occasion during this marathon of writing and sports watching that my two passions have things in common. 

• Global Reach
• Really beautiful use of human body
• Entry to experience is free or very low-cost
• Avid Fans
• Teamwork necessary for success

ESPN has developed a series of promotional videos on a variety of themes that are raised by this global sport.  A shorty funny one refers to the mini baby boom noted in Germany 9 months after the previous World Cup in 2006.  Since the Germans are not in the finals, it will be interesting to see what, if any, impact this has by the end of April 2011. 

Who knows maybe there will  be a mini baby boom the world over of passionate  new soccer fans who are breastfed!

FIFA , the international governing body of football, is supporting an important global initiative during this 2010 World Cup, Football For Hope.

The object of Football For Hope is to bring together, support, advise and strengthen sustainable social and human development programmes in the areas of peace, children’s rights and education, health, anti-discrimination and social integration as well as the environment…

Over the past 25 years, the profession of lactation consulting has worked hard to shine the spotlight on breastfeeding.  World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated each year from August 1-7.  It would be amazing if these two groups would unite forces and make some enduring connections for the good of our global community.

It is my fantasy that someday soon, breastfeeding will garnish some of the same economic clout and mass appeal that continues to grow for the ‘Beautiful Game’.

Viva España!  Breast is Best!

Living in NYC, there are many opportunities to interact with celebrities.   However, one of the reasons John Lennon loved it here is that, for the most part, his privacy was respected.   

I stood on line behind Kevin Bacon at my Starbucks.   I could feel my father desperately channelling through me an urge to engage him in conversation.   Although I inherited my dad’s ”gift of the gab,” I could not utter this joke forming in my mind.  “So, this is what they mean by six degrees of separation?”   If only I had remembered at that moment that his wife Kyra had breastfed.   Given my penchant for marketing at Starbucks , who knows what I might have been able to say. 

All kidding aside,  I have found that there is less than 6 degrees of  separation for breastfeeding success.  

• Your mother, partner, a sibling or close friend, doctor (pediatrician or obstetrician), lactation specialist can all impact your choices and the trajectory of your experience. 

Six Degrees of Separation For BF Success

One of the most important considerations is surrounding yourself with positive breastfeeding role models and enthusiasts.   Given the barrage of hormones, any lack of support, whether real or imagined, can shake your confidence.  Those who love you do not want to see you exhausted and overwhelmed.  They may try to relieve you by offering to give a bottle or encourage you to consider an exit strategy. 

Breastfeeding is natural, but it is also a learned skill for both mother and baby.   Tensions can build when couples are not on the same page about this essential aspect of caring for their newborn.  Attend a breastfeeding class together if at all possible.   Remember that coaching does not end after labor.  

Many of you will defer to the “authority figures” such as the doctor and lactation consultant.  

1. No Pediatrician will hang out a shingle saying they are opposed to breastfeeding.  However, early supplementation with formula is a big clue about their knowledge and support of breastfeeding. 
2. A survey of Pediatricians published in late 2008 verifies that their promotion of breastfeeding is down.
3. Lactation consultants that rely too heavily upon gadgets and pumping may further overwhelm a mother. 
4. Check out your local parenting boards and read them carefully.  Look for someone who has the clinical expertise to fix your latch rather than manage your pumping.
5. Ask your friends to  honestly share their breastfeeding experience and judge if you want some of the same.
6. Follow me on twitter or become a member of  The Breastfeeding Salon

We live in an interesting period of human history where popularity and affiliation are highly valued.   With some preparation you can assemble your dream team of breastfeeding support within six degrees of separation.

I spend a lot of time at my local Starbucks. It is a very spacious, well-appointed location on the upper westside of New York City which attracts a diverse crowd from all walks of life. It is a common meeting place for many who live in, or are passing through, my neighborhood. On any given day there are various business people, artists, writers, moms with babies or children, students and tourists conducting business or socializing within my Starbucks.

I particularily liked the Starbucks “The Way I See It” cups from a few years ago.  They featured inspirational or thought provoking quotes to add a jolt to the java.

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© irisheyz_5's

“In my career I”ve found that ‘thinking outside the box’ works better if I know what’s ‘inside the box.’ In music (as in life) we need to understnad our pertinent history…and moving on is so much easier when we know where we’ve been.”

~Dave Grusin, Award winning composer & jazz musician

Starbucks has become my incubator where I research, hatch, and often demo, my conscious breastfeeding marketing ideas. I strike up conversations with fellow bloggers, tech-savvy guys, other self-employed regulars, or virtually any friendly soul I meet on line or seated near me. Invariably they are curious and intrigued by the “business of lactation”. We open a dialogue where “Isn’t it natural?” is a common question. Many of them share with me some of their own personal breastfeeding stories or those of their relations or co-workers.

These coffee “klatches” are a fun way to do research and marketing. I get a pulse on what the locals and tourists are currently thinking about breastfeeding. I can plant seeds or add a different point of view that may empower a current or prospective breastfeeding family. What I learn from these encounters become the fodder for future articles, blog posts and are woven in as anecdotes during my breastfeeding classes. They ultimately become user, or potential user, generated content.

So I invite you to think outside the box on your next trip to Starbucks and view it as a marketing opportunity.