Healthy Parenting

Pregnancy & Birth: Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding! What could be more natural? Actually, it's not an inate practice. We're removed from the way of life from years ago when we were surrounded by women who passed on the information they knew. Aunts, grandmothers, sisters, neighbors - all used to attend us while we prepared for labor/birth. They helped educate us. Now, we must educate ourselves which thankfully is becoming easier. Mother and baby may need to learn to breastfeed. I also think it's a mistake to plan to breastfeed without a complete commitment. I can't tell you how many mother's I've heard say, "I'm going TRY to breastfeed."

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Even with my reading, research and knowledge on the subject if I had had that resolve, I never would have gotten started breastfeeding with my first son, Connor. Due to low glucose levels (big babies are often tested), we had to give him glucose (thankfully they let me give it to him in a syringe). This threw off our latching on and start of breastfeeding. After 3 days of not nursing after birth, I had a starving baby, countless hours of tears and feelings of failure as a mother - I still wasn't ready to quit. My loving husband was ready to support me if I chose to use formula but instead I sent him to rent a hospital grade breastpump from our Bradley Class Teacher. I used a syringe to supplement with breastmilk which helped to stave off Connor's hunger and allowed us to try again at latching on. It got better from there. I have learned since that had I breastfed prior to the glucose, the glucose most likely would not have been necessary. Something I insisted upon prior to giving birth a second time.

Do you know the American Academy of Pediatric's (AAP) CURRENT stand on Breastfeeding? Here are a few excerpts;

Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child.

Crying is a late indicator of hunger. Appropriate initiation of breastfeeding is facilitated by continuous rooming-in throughout the day and night.

Healthy infants should be placed and remain in direct skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after delivery until the first feeding is accomplished.

The alert, healthy newborn infant is capable of latching on to a breast without specific assistance within the first hour after birth. Dry the infant, assign Apgar scores, and perform the initial physical assessment while the infant is with the mother. The mother is an optimal heat source for the infant.Delay weighing, measuring, bathing, needle-sticks, and eye prophylaxis until after the first feeding is completed. Infants affected by maternal medications may require assistance for effective latch-on. Except under unusual circumstances, the newborn infant should remain with the mother throughout the recovery period.

Supplements (water, glucose water, formula, and other fluids) should not be given to breastfeeding newborn infants unless ordered by a physician when a medical indication exists.

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;115/2/496.pdf

Articles

A Look at Breastfeeding: Past, Present and Future
http://www.breastfeeding.org/articles/alookat.html

What the Numbers Say: Birth, Breastfeeding, and Family in America
http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/family_society/numbers.html

The Benefits of Breastfeeding
http://www.breastfeeding.org/articles/benefits.html

Establishing Your Milk Supply: Starting Out Right
http://www.thelaboroflove.com/forum/breastfeeding/milksupply.html

101 Reasons to Breastfeed your Child
http://www.promom.org/101/index.html

Resources

Breastfeeding Research
http://www.borstvoeding.com/abon/bf-research.html

Kellymom.com - The Ultimate Breastfeeding Education Site!
http://www.kellymom.com/index.html

Jack Newman's Breastfeeding Handouts - brought to you by Kellymom.com
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/index.html

Breastfeeding.com: Information, Support and Attitude!
http://www.breastfeeding.com/

Breastfeedingonline.com: Articles, Advice and Encouragement
http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/

The National Women's Health Information Center - Breastfeeding: Best for Baby, Best for Mom
http://www.4woman.gov/Breastfeeding/

ProMoM Inc. - Promotion of Mother's Milk
http://www.promom.org/