| Operation:
Breastfeeding
Make sure you’re prepared for
the undertaking.
by Leigh Hunziker
PARENTGUIDE News June 2007
Just minutes after my first prenatal visit, when the ultrasound monitor
revealed the little seedling that would soon become my baby, reading
became as routine as breathing. I read books, magazines, journals, Web
sites… anything that related— even in the slightest way—
to pregnancy. But I was so busy trying to absorb every bit of information
about fetal development, the stages and symptoms of pregnancy, proper
diet, possible complications, the birth process and the benefits of
breastfeeding that I neglected to read about how to breastfeed, and
the obstacles that often accompany the decision to do so.
Expectant mothers seem to flock to Lamaze class without
a second thought, but those who are planning to breastfeed aren’t
quite as quick to register for a breastfeeding class, myself included.
“Breasts make the milk; the rest is learned,” says Maria
Rea, RNC, BSN, IBCLC, of Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York.
Yes, I had registered for a breast pump, bought nursing bras and picked
out a beautiful glider on which I would peacefully rock back and forth
while my baby effortlessly suckled away. But, what I didn’t realize
was that these were mere baby steps toward the breastfeeding mission,
and I was not fully prepared for what was to come.
Hours after I gave birth to my baby boy, Jake, we had our first try
at nursing. The good news was that he learned how to latch on and suckle
fairly quickly; oftentimes, newborns take a while to master this skill.
The bad news? He kept falling asleep while eating. Therefore, he was
hardly eating anything at all.
The nurses later wheeled a breast pump into my hospital room and suggested
I pump to stimulate the production of milk. But because of the pain
and fatigue I was experiencing, Jake’s demanding feeding schedule,
not to mention the endless visitors who kept popping in throughout the
day and into the evening, I never seemed to get the chance. I thought
to myself, “Jake’s feedings will stimulate my milk production.
No big deal if I don’t have time to pump; it’ll be fine.”
But it wasn’t that easy. He continued to fall asleep while eating,
so his feedings did not stimulate an adequate milk supply. Yet, like
many new moms, I naively continued to view breastfeeding as a natural
thing that would come, well, naturally. “It’s just going
to take a little time,” I thought to myself.
On my second night in the hospital, the nurses offered to take one of
Jake’s feedings so he could actually get some food in his system,
and I could get some rest. They finger-fed him formula through a very
thin tube. This method more closely resembles breastfeeding as compared
to a bottle and helps to prevent oral confusion, which can lead to breastfeeding
setbacks.
The next day it was time to go home. However, when I mentioned to the
nurse that I still hadn’t been pumping on a regular basis, she
was very direct with me. She said, “You really need to make a
decision, because you’re falling behind.” Right then, the
reality finally hit me. Breastfeeding was not going to be easy, and
in many aspects, it was actually unnatural. It was going to take more
dedication than I had thought. But, I was not going to give up.
As if I wasn’t having a hard enough time acclimating to nursing
duty while also trying to fight off postpartum emotions and body aches,
I came home to the rolling eyes of family members. They were there to
help and were well-intentioned, but receiving the third degree from
relatives about Jake’s eating habits and feeding schedule was
not “help.” It was hell!
As Jake was still falling asleep at the breast, his first visit to the
pediatrician revealed that he was gaining weight too slowly. I was instructed
to up his feedings to every two hours, and make a valiant effort to
feed him for at least ten minutes from each breast. In addition, Jake’s
pediatrician suggested giving him an extra ounce of breastmilk or formula
from a bottle if he failed to stay awake for a whole feeding. This was
quite a challenge, but I kept at it. It was an emotional roller coaster.
I cried my eyes out during the days leading up to his next weight check.
Family members looked at me like I had four breasts when they got wind
of the new feeding plan in action. I think they just wanted me to suck
it up and go strictly to bottles so they could have a turn feeding him.
Fortunately, Jake and I came out winners. He gained eight ounces within
just six days, and caught up with his weight. I did what I set out to
do— to give my baby what I saw as the best nutrition I could,
and create a special bonding experience with my child that nothing else
could offer.
But we didn’t overcome the breastfeeding struggle without a fight.
I had to work through tears, guilt, worry and self-doubt. When you decide
to breastfeed, it is of utmost importance that you educate yourself
on what’s to come, and prepare yourself and others for what may
be. And the support of those close to you is vital to your success as
a breastfeeding mother. They don’t have to agree with what you’re
doing, but you should establish beforehand that if they want to come
around when the baby is born, then they have to accept your decision
and halt their opinions unless specifically asked to share them.
Rea stresses the importance of prenatal preparation, and offers the
following tips:
•Wait until after baby’s delivery to buy a breast pump,
to more easily identify your needs.
•Take a breastfeeding class from a board-certified lactation consultant.
These classes are straightforward about the commitment involved in breastfeeding
and help new moms to get started. Classes teach breast familiarization,
positioning, feeding cues, breast massage, latch-on and more.
•Use your resources. Take advantage of the lactation consultants
in your hospital and your community.
Leigh Hunziker is a writer, editor, wife, mother
and breastfeeding survivor.
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