As I write my very first blog post on Mila's Keeper official launch day, I am both humbled and thrilled to be to able kick it off on World Breastfeeding Week. After spending years working in global health, at organizations like UNICEF, I have witnessed thousands of people across the world dedicate their lives to work towards improving the lives of women and children through breastfeeding. I have felt the passion and today, I join the ranks of so many others on this very same mission of helping women and children with the launch of Mila's Keeper.
Mila's Keeper is a benefit company, focused on making awesome products for breastfeeding moms, and creating a community where we can learn, educate and advocate for women's rights and empowerment. I know this is no small task, but I set out with the expectation that even if we go little by little, it is still progress.
What does progress look like for me in the US?
- Paid maternity leave so we can hold off pumping at work as long as possible.
- Pump breaks and lactation rooms so we can pump without guilt at work.
- Destigmatizing breastfeeding in public so that we can feed our babies in peace.
- Lactation rooms in public places so that we can pump in private.
- Focus on the benefits of breastfeeding to mom, not just baby.
- Eliminating societal pressures to breastfeed through the cliche "breast is best".
- Tackling breastfeeding challenges as it relates to moms of different races and income.
- Eradicating "mom guilt" so she can get a break to do things without baby by pumping-on-the-go with a Mila's Keeper breast milk cooler :-)
As you can literally see, I could go on and on. I have been holding back, but now I'm unleashing it all -- I hope you will join me too - I guarantee you it will be messy, exhausting, and fun all at the same time - but isn't that the beauty of parenthood after all?
with loving breasts,
Lara
