Reduce your risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure
Breastfeed for Lifelong Benefits
Human Milk for Human Babies
Evidence-Based Information & Emotional Sensitivity
The topic of feeding baby is a hot one, so it calls birth workers to understand what is involved with making such a personal choice. As a doula, I advocate for exclusive breastfeeding based on the benefits it offers mother and baby over decades, some would argue generations. Anyone who advocates for exclusive breastfeeding should be willing to support new mothers as they learn how to successfully feed this way, educate those who ask on what impacts milk supply (and what does not), as well as to provide any necessary plan that will make it as manageable as possible for each dyad’s life situations.
By breastfeeding your baby, you reduce the likelihood of postpartum mood disorders (PPMD’s), many reproductive cancers, the likelihood you will develop hyperlipidemia, obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes. The statement that breast is best, is not a judgement on parenting choices, but these proven health benefits for women. The newborn will gain these same benefits, and even more. Ask what your insurance covers for breastfeeding support, and connect with someone you like before baby comes. You will be successful
Breastfeeding a newborn is not the same as breastfeeding a baby who has transitioned to solids, as much as it does not look the same at age 2 or 3. Judgements from people outside of the home are typically uneducated about breastfeeding, and result from a cultural message that feeding the baby is somehow sexual. Do not let that message deter you from offering your child and your family a longer, healthier life.
When I speak with clients about the topic of feeding the baby, I try to recognize the sentiment behind the position of wanting to breastfeed, but if it does not work, that is okay. As the doula, I share that there is plenty of information and research today that illustrates the importance of making certain choices BEFORE baby arrives, in order to improve the likelihood that breastfeeding will work. As with any other choice in birth, making a choice after you know the options is empowering, removing the guilt, doubt or ambivalence we can feel when judged by ourselves or others. Feeding your baby is big decision, it deserves your attention.
Feeling Strongly that You Need Another Feeding Option
Identifying the Root of Negative Associations
Misconceptions
Misconceptions develop in a variety of ways; often including incorrect explanation (interpretation of that explanation), personal experience & cultural beliefs, as well as making sense of things we do not understand. So, we all have them!
When it comes to babies and breastfeeding, a parent who wants the best for their baby deserves accurate and factual-based information, not the misinformed or under-informed opinion of a family member, friend, or peer. Breastfeeding a newborn requires supportive providers, in the OB’s office, midwives office, pediatrician, and community. Doulas can share names and places where this type of support can be found, and if you seek that support, we owe it to you as much as possible.
If you decide not to breastfeed, or cannot breastfeed, we can explore formula options with you. As a consumer, you deserve to know how your baby’s food is going to be prepared, handled, and stored, as well as how readily available it will be. We can teach you about safe preparation, bottle choices, feeding styles, and encourage you to feel good about your choice since a fed baby is a healthier baby. Formula is the next best choice for brain development, digestion and growth. Making your own, offering milk or water, can make your baby unwell, so make the healthy choice.
Preparation
Preparing to breastfeed looks different for everyone. Some women learn in a formal setting, others rely on feedback from friends or social groups. Many new moms work with a birth doula, who explains how a successful breastfeeding relationship is directly impacted by birth experience. A c-section delivery can delay milk by a day or so, which may frighten someone who is not expecting that.
Bottle manufactures promote the standard 4, 6 or 8 ounce bottles prominently in stores and in advertising. Formula manufacturers provide 2 ounce bottles in hospital nurseries because newborns typically take 1 1/2 to 2 ounces in the early days. Colostrum, the first milk, is a thick, gold immune building food for newborns in the first days. You may see colostrum in the weeks before you even have your baby. The collection vessel for colostrum is very small. When baby’s stomach is the size of a cherry, your body will make enough milk to fill that space. Adjust your thinking.
Prepare the postpartum support network, especially when breastfeeding. Newborns need to be close to their mothers, and feeding cues are easier to see if that is the set-up. Knowing you will be tired, ask for help from family and friends, hire a postpartum doula or night nurse who can bring you baby for a feed and let you go back to sleep as they handle other tasks like burping, swaddling, and rocking.
Prepare your space, your mind, and your relationship for exclusive breastfeeding. Doing so for even a few weeks will improve your mental health, your cholesterol and sugar levels, and even bone density.
How Choices in Birth Can Help Breastfeeding
The Golden Hour, like delayed clamping, has been acknowledged as having positive affects on the newborn as well as their mother. Skin-to-skin immediately following birth improves bonding, milk production, and reduces cortisol in the newborn. While we understand that keeping babies and mothers together to support breastfeeding, the systems where women often give birth have traditions and rules that do not allow it to happen.
Whether you have a vaginal or surgical birth, you can insist that your healthy baby be given skin-to-skin right away. Since you can have your partner present with either birth, these initial moments of bonding offer your newborn comfort, and your family some invaluable bonding time.