Fasting for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women when 9 Av Postponed to Sunday: Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon

I've written several posts about Jewish law regarding fasting for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Yesterday, in the alon "Shabbat beShabbato," Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon of the Machon LeHalachah UleHoraah and head of the Beit Midrash (study hall) at Machon Lev, discussed a special case that occurs … [Read more...]

Do We Need a Rule about Breastfeeding in Shul?

Rabbi Ysoscher Katz (RYK) of Yeshiva Chovevei Torah wrote a psak, or religious ruling, on whether it's permitted to breastfeed in the synagogue. I've addressed this issue several times before, because women have been harassed, and people have spoken out publicly against breastfeeding in the … [Read more...]

Israelis Protest Breastfeeding Harassment

Check out my interview with Tel Aviv Radio by host Amir Mizroch, starting at 30 minutes.  You can see the picture by Amir Schiby that I mention in the interview. Last month, a mother visited a Petach Tikva mall with her two small children. The baby got hungry. While the mother knew of a nursing … [Read more...]

Mothers and Fathers, 2013

The blog post below was written in Hebrew by Esther Pelled, author of the blog Unedited. She is responding in part to a report on Channel Two News last Saturday evening, which claimed that the Israeli health ministry puts too much pressure on women to breastfeed. Thanks to Julie Rosenzweig of … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding in the Hospital after a C-Section

A reader writes: Hi Hannah, I had a question in response to your last post about the formula options promoted by the Ministry of Health.  I'm due to give birth to my third child in the next few weeks (in Jerusalem, G-d willing) by elective c-section. I exclusively breastfed both of my older … [Read more...]

New Mothers Get Choice — Between Two Brands of Breastmilk Substitutes

I once heard a bit of sales advice, let's say for shoes. After a potential customer has tried on two pairs, you shouldn't ask if he likes one or the other. Instead say, "Which pair of shoes do you prefer?" With luck, the customer will accept your assumption that he has already decided to buy at … [Read more...]

Rabbi Elgazi on Breastfeeding, Fasting and Yom Kippur

In last week's Matzav Haruach, Rabbi Ben-Zion Elgazi's column is devoted to fasting on Yom Kippur. I liked his approach to breastfeeding so I am translating it here. You can find the original Hebrew text in this article I contributed to the blog of the Israeli Association of Certified Lactation … [Read more...]

Bullying over Breastmilk Storage

A nurse in a Jerusalem hospital returned from maternity leave and placed expressed breastmilk for her 7-month-old son in the staff room's refrigerator. One day she found a sign (pictured above) asking not to store expressed breastmilk in the refrigerator. Her complaint went all the way up to … [Read more...]

Exclusion of (Breastfeeding) Women in Beit Shemesh and Hod Hasharon

Public breastfeeding is in the news again, after a nursing mom was asked to leave a café in the Sharonim mall in Hod Hasharon. Tal Eisenberg asked a waitress to find her a comfortable seat to nurse her baby. Tal then overheard the shift manager asking the waitress whether Tal was nursing, and … [Read more...]

Why My Maternity Ward Locks Up Infant Formula

Much ink has been spilled about NYC Mayor Bloomberg's support of breastfeeding. In today's guest post, nurse and lactation consultant Noa Hirsch Choritz explains how keeping formula with medications serves the needs of both breast-fed and bottle-fed babies.   New York City Mayor … [Read more...]