Have questions about breastfeeding but don’t know how (or whom) to ask?
In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, Sandi Brown, registered nurse and lactation consultant with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, shares 10 things every new mother should know about breastfeeding.
1. Remember, babies are born with the instinct to find a food source if they’re left alone after delivery.
Babies can actually find their way to the breast when they’re ready to eat if we leave them alone.
2. Educate yourself about breastfeeding as much as possible before giving birth.
Take a class or read as much reputable information as you can before your baby is born, so you’re prepared for when he or she arrives.
3. Include “kangaroo care” in your birthing plan.
Your baby should have skin-to-skin contact with you within five minutes of a vaginal delivery and within 30 minutes of a C-section delivery, which means he or she should be laid on your chest wearing nothing but a diaper. “This helps them transition from being inside the uterus to being on the outside,” Brown said, much like how a kangaroo keeps her young in her pouch.
4. Make sure skin-to-skin contact lasts for six hours a day, for six weeks.
You or the baby’s father should have skin-to-skin contact with your baby for six hours each day through the postpartum period, which is six weeks. During this period, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends only you or the father hold the baby because he or she hasn’t yet had a chance to develop antibodies to other family members, neighbors or friends.
5. Get rest.
Your baby will be born as a nocturnal feeder who will want to be awake during the night and sleep during the day. You need to adjust to the baby’s schedule, which should start to turn around between four to six weeks.
6. Speak with a lactation consultant before giving birth.
If you have any questions regarding breastfeeding, you should speak with a lactation consultant before your due date. That way, you’ll feel much more confident when your baby arrives.
7. Pick a hospital or birthing center that is supportive of breastfeeding.
Hospitals and birthing centers that have been accredited by the World Health Organization (WHO) as baby-friendly have staff members who have been trained to help mothers breastfeed their babies successfully.
8. Ask for and accept help.
Lactation consultants and nurses are there to help. Use them.
9. Pick a pediatrician or family practice physician who is supportive of breastfeeding.
It also would help to have a lactation consultant within the doctor’s practice or on call to help with questions once you come home from the hospital with your baby.
10. Address problems with breastfeeding early.
The longer a problem persists, the more difficult it is to correct or fix.
