Teach Me How to Breastfeed!

Did you ever think you might utter those words?  No, of course not.  "Teach" someone how to breastfeed??  How?! What?? Come on! 

Yet, if you choose to breastfeed you will need to learn how to actually make the process work...for both you and baby.  It's simple but not easy.  It's not instinctive but it can be learned.  IBCLC TaNefer Lumukanda decided to put her many talents, including teaching women how to breastfeed, to use in one awesome video.  So, if you feel inclined to learn a little bit before your baby arrives, check this out.   

And don't worry if you didn't get everything TaNefer said or you need a little extra support, as a post-partum doula I'm here to help...with getting a good latch, positioning, tandem nursing, and identifying all kinds of unexpected challenges like how to treat engorgement or learning about the signs of mastitis.  I've also been breastfeeding my own daughter since minute one.  And for areas beyond my own level of expertise, I have an IBCLC who is my GO TO for all kinds of breastfeeding help and support.  

Remember, "all the babies love it, all the babies love it!"

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Concerns about breastfeeding impact time baby is breastfed

New moms intent on breastfeeding have a lot on their plate.  Breastfeeding is exhausting, emotionally and physically.  Add in pumping, issues of over or under supply or "just" the mountain of challenges that you can face as a new breastfeeding mom and you can see why moms can get overwhelmed.  A new study (10.13) by the journal Pediatrics looks at the relationship between mom's breastfeeding worries impacts how long she breastfeeds the baby.

The study concluded that new mom concerns about breastfeeding directly affected the length of time that mom breastfed.  Makes sense, right?  If you're worried about something that you're doing, you may be less inclined to continue doing it as time goes on.  The predominant new mom concerns are the usual suspects:

A post-partum doula always looks at position of baby's body, his body language & "attitude" and mom's breast to troubleshoot any challenges.  What do you notice about those things in this picture?

1. difficulty with baby feeding at the breast (this can include latch, tongue tie, oral aversion issues, etc.);
2. pain (breastfeeding should never hurt but it often does, especially when we're trying to figure out "how" to do it in the early days);
3. quantity concerns (is baby getting enough to eat?)

These concerns are normal but still scary for the new mom. If breastfeeding is an important piece of the fourth trimester for you and your family, you might consider hiring a post-partum doula.  The concerns above are issues that are addressed by a post-partum doula*.  [Note: these concerns can also be addressed by a lactation consultant.  Lactation consultants specialize in breastfeeding. ] A post-partum doula is a generalist who does three things for her clients: offer evidence-based information, hands-on help and unconditional support. So one takeaway of the article is the importance of hiring an experienced post-partum doula to help with breastfeeding in the early days.  

The study is available by subscription only (of course!) but you can see the abstract here.  You don't need to read the whole article though to get the recommendations by the study authors on how to close the gap between concerns and duration. 

Breastfeeding in public

Sometimes it helps to see celebrities doing something in order to normalize it for the rest of the world.

Another unexpected benefit to breastfeeding

As a new or expecting mom, you know all about the benefits to your child (children) of breastfeeding.   But did you know that breastfeeding also helps decrease the chance of abuse or neglect to children too?

In a recent study in the journal Pediatrics, a study of seven thousand mothers found followed over fifteen years showed that not only were breastfeeding mothers less likely to harm their child and also the lower the risk to the child, the longer that Mom breastfed. It makes sense.  Breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mom and child (all that time together, staring into each other's eyes!) but Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, a breastfeeding researcher (not affiliated with the study) also noted that "breastfeeding also regulates hostility", on a summary of the study at Kindred Community found here. 

What exactly does "regulating hostility" mean? Here's what I think:

Breastfeeding floods your body with endorphins which help you feel good and makes the act of breastfeeding satisfying and (usually!) peaceful.   I know that when I've been stressed out, especially when my daughter was a newborn, breastfeeding was an immediate relaxant.  I felt calmer and as a result, she was calmer.  That's true even now, at fifteen months. 

While domestic violence (including the abuse of children) isn't caused by anything other than one person exercising power and control over another, common emotions of new moms (stress, anxiety, fatigue, etc.) can exacerbate bad situations and trigger abuse.  It makes sense that if moms are feeling calmer and good about what they are doing, instead of frustrated or stressed out, they will be less inclined to abuse their child. 

However you feed your baby, make sure that it works best for you too.  Breastfeeding isn't aways the best choice for moms though so it's okay if you're choosing not to breastfeed.  Remember to ask for and get the best support possible no matter how you're feeding your baby.  Just like anything else, success often depends on support!