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• 500 march on behalf of fallen teen farm worker

• Driver dies in violent crash near Terminous over weekend

• Jim Elliot graduates the 'best class ever'

• Restlessness gets Elliot Valedictorian Hagan where he wants to go

• Middle College High School students earn diplomas

• Middle College High top students

• Zacatlan, Mexico, proposed as Lodi sister city

• Regional Roundup

• Public Meetings

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (73)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (60)
• Universal health care solves big problems (54)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
• Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (35)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (23)

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Lactation consultant shares nursing tips

Holly Newman enjoys helping mothers bond with their children. She became interested in the bonding experience, breastfeeding, while in nursing school. A mother of five, she found it to be a wonderful experience. Since then, she has been helping other moms learn how to breastfeed, for many years as a volunteer.

Recently, Newman became a certified lactation consultant. She now visits her clients' homes, giving them professional advice. It is rewarding to her, she said, for moms to come to her months later and say they wouldn't have kept breastfeeding if it hadn't been for her.

"It's a wonderful profession. You don't have to sell breastfeeding, the baby does that," she said.

Q: What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

A: A lot of people don't realize the benefits of moms breastfeeding. It reduces the risk of breast cancer and other diseases, and it can help moms return to pre-pregnancy weight. In children, for three months of breastfeeding they can have an eight to 10 point higher IQ and it reduces the risk of leukemia. As an adult, there is less (risk of) obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Q: How can a spouse be a part of the process?

A: I find fathers are a part of the decision-making process before the baby is born. A father can do everything except for breastfeed. If he can encourage her to do this and be reassuring, it can really help her to follow through on her decision.

Q: What does a breastfeeding consultant do?

A: Part of what I do is just encourage people. It is mostly first-time moms. I just received a phone call from this mom who just had a question, but I won't see her. I also do home consulting and help with confidence level and help with issues such as soreness, the baby not gaining weight and the mother not feeling like she has adequate milk supply.

Q: What supplies are needed to breastfeed?

A: There are really no supplies needed. Breast pumps are handy if you are going out or going back to work, and there are a lot of tools that I use to help.

Q: How long should breastfeeding be done?

A: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends six months of breastfeeding with no supplement. Then one year with iron-rich foods. This is because the iron stores that the baby developed in utero begin to be used up by this age. Although world-wide weaning age is three, most Americans find that kind of over-the-top.

Q: What do you have to do to become a consultant?

A: It's a relatively new profession. It started in 1986. I'm a registered nurse and have a bachelor's degree. I also took 90 hours of courses. I have 2,500 clinical hours in lactation. After that, you take an exam, the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Exam (IBLCE). If you pass that, you get to be a lactation consultant. People come in from other paths. Some are registered dietitians. It depends on their educational background.

Q: What is one of the most common questions you are asked?

A: Probably, "How do I know if the baby is getting enough?" The best measurement is output. Count how many dirty diapers there are. The second most common question is how to tell if they are latched properly.

Q: What can you do to remedy low milk production?

A: The best remedy is making sure the baby is latched properly. It should be done eight times a day and up to 12. If you're breastfeeding every day then it won't be a problem with milk supply. We tell the mother to pump after breastfeeding to keep it going because the body always replenishes what is taken out.

Q: What do you tell people who are on medication and can't breastfeed?

A: There is very few medicines that aren't compatible with breastfeeding. There are a few things like chemo. Most medicines are compatible or there's one that's very similar that can be. Most doctors will recommend you stop if they are unsure, which is unfortunate because you're losing something very valuable. Generally, I give the mother information in my book and she can ask the doctor if she can change it.

Q: What do you do if a baby is premature?

A: If the baby is premature, breast feeding is very important. Premature babies are more likely to get Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), which is where the gut rots, if fed with formula versus breastfeeding.