Comments on: How to Get Breastfeeding off to a Good Start http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/ Keeping it real in the suburbs Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:18:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Perfecting Motherhood http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-51891 Perfecting Motherhood Sun, 13 Jun 2010 05:11:46 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-51891 Thank you so much for helping moms-to-be and new moms to understand how to become great at breastfeeding. I breastfed my 2 boys until they were each 14 months old. I got pregnant with my second when my first was 10 months old and I continued breastfeeding for 4 months. 98% of all moms out there are physically and mentally able to breastfeed, and start their newborn’s life by doing it. There is no good reason to explain why so many stop, except the fact that they experience lack of support and societal pressure. It’s time to enpower women to make breastfeeding a first step in their baby’s life. Breastfeeding moms rule! Read What I felt compelled to put together on the 10 things people don’t tell you about breastfeeding on my post at: http://perfectingmotherhood.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/10-things-people-dont-tell-you-about-breastfeeding/ Thank you so much for helping moms-to-be and new moms to understand how to become great at breastfeeding. I breastfed my 2 boys until they were each 14 months old. I got pregnant with my second when my first was 10 months old and I continued breastfeeding for 4 months. 98% of all moms out there are physically and mentally able to breastfeed, and start their newborn’s life by doing it. There is no good reason to explain why so many stop, except the fact that they experience lack of support and societal pressure. It’s time to enpower women to make breastfeeding a first step in their baby’s life. Breastfeeding moms rule!
Read What I felt compelled to put together on the 10 things people don’t tell you about breastfeeding on my post at:
http://perfectingmotherhood.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/10-things-people-dont-tell-you-about-breastfeeding/
Perfecting Motherhood’s last post … How to make your own baby food – homemade tastes best!My Profile

]]> By: TopHat http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-39315 TopHat Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:27:09 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-39315 Relaxing is so important- and I think a lot of new moms (and repeat moms- the newborn stage is easy to forget) get very worried about whether or not what the baby is doing is "normal." Relaxing is so important- and I think a lot of new moms (and repeat moms- the newborn stage is easy to forget) get very worried about whether or not what the baby is doing is “normal.”

]]> By: Elita http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-39306 Elita Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:39:12 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-39306 I think most women are not really giving informed consent when they agree to or ask for the epidural. It causes so many problems, including nursing problems. I am glad that more moms are birthing naturally again and rooming in with their babies and initiating breastfeeding at the hospital. I think most women are not really giving informed consent when they agree to or ask for the epidural. It causes so many problems, including nursing problems. I am glad that more moms are birthing naturally again and rooming in with their babies and initiating breastfeeding at the hospital.

]]> By: Kimberly http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-39299 Kimberly Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:40:34 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-39299 The baby-led latch is interesting. I will have to think about that. No one was with me with my second for the first feeding, so we were kindof on our own. And, I have to say, it was MUCH more painful that first few days than with my first. Odd. Definitely getting stressed about it doesn't help much. Thanks for the good advice! The baby-led latch is interesting. I will have to think about that. No one was with me with my second for the first feeding, so we were kindof on our own. And, I have to say, it was MUCH more painful that first few days than with my first. Odd.

Definitely getting stressed about it doesn’t help much.

Thanks for the good advice!

]]> By: Steph http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-39296 Steph Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:15:09 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-39296 My eldest child didn't latch for four days, no matter what we did. We did everything "right" and it still didn't happen. In our case, what we needed was patience and a nipple shield. Our second was born and I expected a fight. She had her own ideas. As soon as she got within a couple of centimeters of the breast, she latched happily and perfectly. For us, the experience of baby-led latching was the clincher, I think. You're right that we can't control our birth experiences or the ease with which our breastfeeding relationships form, but we can do our best to stack the odds in our own favour. My eldest child didn’t latch for four days, no matter what we did. We did everything “right” and it still didn’t happen. In our case, what we needed was patience and a nipple shield.

Our second was born and I expected a fight. She had her own ideas. As soon as she got within a couple of centimeters of the breast, she latched happily and perfectly. For us, the experience of baby-led latching was the clincher, I think.

You’re right that we can’t control our birth experiences or the ease with which our breastfeeding relationships form, but we can do our best to stack the odds in our own favour.

]]> By: pomomama aka ebbandflo http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-38878 pomomama aka ebbandflo Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:46:51 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-38878 Great post Amber, and chock full of useful info (def worth bookmarking). re: epidural and breastfeeding - hmmm. compared with using some of the opiates and injectable pain relief i would consider an epidural as far superior if you have to take this route (gas and air was a waste of time). the epidural drug doesn't reach the foetal circulation or suppress infant reflexes since it circulates in the spinal cord space of the mother. i know i chose this type of pain relief specifically for this reason. also if labour does indeed progress to a c-section it's easier to remain 'alert' (ho ho) for that crucial one-hour window of bonding and initial breast feeding post op. we (wee guy and i) had a blissful first feed together only half an hour after delivery by c-section. he was responsive and i was capable. it worked, and compared with some of the nightmare that followed, it was the best decision. and yes, --- doula, most definitely! Great post Amber, and chock full of useful info (def worth bookmarking).
re: epidural and breastfeeding – hmmm. compared with using some of the opiates and injectable pain relief i would consider an epidural as far superior if you have to take this route (gas and air was a waste of time). the epidural drug doesn’t reach the foetal circulation or suppress infant reflexes since it circulates in the spinal cord space of the mother. i know i chose this type of pain relief specifically for this reason. also if labour does indeed progress to a c-section it’s easier to remain ‘alert’ (ho ho) for that crucial one-hour window of bonding and initial breast feeding post op. we (wee guy and i) had a blissful first feed together only half an hour after delivery by c-section. he was responsive and i was capable. it worked, and compared with some of the nightmare that followed, it was the best decision.

and yes, — doula, most definitely!

]]> By: Allison http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-38874 Allison Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:43:48 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-38874 It is a great post, although to be entirely truthful I'm not sure how I feel about telling people to avoid epidurals and pacifiers. Having information is helpful, but until you've been there it can be really hard to understand that you just get the labour and delivery and baby you get, and telling people they should plan to avoid all this stuff can lead to anxiety and guilt. I was determined both times to be medication free, but my body was just determined not to dilate beyond seven centimetres without oxytocin -- the second time it was my midwife advising me to take the epidural, after sixty hours of labour and no further progression. When Angus was born, the nurse on duty asked very carefully if I wanted to consider a pacifier after I'd sat up after a c-section nursing him continuously from eleven at night until four in the morning. The pacifier was a life-saver and there was no nipple confusion. I know I sound defensive. I feel defensive. It's almost impossible not to with all the information we have, and the fact that it seems that as smart, capable women we should have more control over birthing babies. I agree equipping expectant mothers with all the information possible is valuable. I just think the first and foremost piece of advice should be something like: expect the unexpected and don't beat yourself up over things you can't control. (I know you did kind of say that.) I didn't have a doula, but my sister did, and if I ever did it again I would definitely have one. Whew. Is 8:42 a.m. too early for vodka? It is a great post, although to be entirely truthful I’m not sure how I feel about telling people to avoid epidurals and pacifiers. Having information is helpful, but until you’ve been there it can be really hard to understand that you just get the labour and delivery and baby you get, and telling people they should plan to avoid all this stuff can lead to anxiety and guilt. I was determined both times to be medication free, but my body was just determined not to dilate beyond seven centimetres without oxytocin — the second time it was my midwife advising me to take the epidural, after sixty hours of labour and no further progression. When Angus was born, the nurse on duty asked very carefully if I wanted to consider a pacifier after I’d sat up after a c-section nursing him continuously from eleven at night until four in the morning. The pacifier was a life-saver and there was no nipple confusion.

I know I sound defensive. I feel defensive. It’s almost impossible not to with all the information we have, and the fact that it seems that as smart, capable women we should have more control over birthing babies. I agree equipping expectant mothers with all the information possible is valuable. I just think the first and foremost piece of advice should be something like: expect the unexpected and don’t beat yourself up over things you can’t control. (I know you did kind of say that.) I didn’t have a doula, but my sister did, and if I ever did it again I would definitely have one.

Whew. Is 8:42 a.m. too early for vodka?

]]> By: Lady M http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-38859 Lady M Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:31:11 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-38859 The baby-led latching sounds interesting - wish I'd heard of it before. Q-ster was born the same year as Hannah, and I was also taught what you describe as mother-led latching. Thanks for the tip - I'll mention it to any future first-timers who ask for input. I got lucky that my boys were very flexible with breast and bottle from day one. For Q-ster, I had developed pre-eclampsia and had to take meds for a week that prevented me from nursing, but he transitioned over to the breast really well during the second week. Things went much more smoothly for Buster, thank heavens. The baby-led latching sounds interesting – wish I’d heard of it before. Q-ster was born the same year as Hannah, and I was also taught what you describe as mother-led latching. Thanks for the tip – I’ll mention it to any future first-timers who ask for input.

I got lucky that my boys were very flexible with breast and bottle from day one. For Q-ster, I had developed pre-eclampsia and had to take meds for a week that prevented me from nursing, but he transitioned over to the breast really well during the second week. Things went much more smoothly for Buster, thank heavens.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.strocel.com/how-to-get-breastfeeding-off-to-a-good-start/#comment-38858 Shannon Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:15:50 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=3525#comment-38858 Fabulous post, Amber. I will save this as a link to send on to my friends who need assistance. I am soooooo lucky to have three wonderful breastfeeding experiences. I'm not sure why but I did follow most of your points . . . my midwives were fantastic, so helpful and supportive. I loved that skin-to-skin contact in the first few hours, just laying in my bed nursing a new baby. Moments I will cherish for the rest of my life. :) p.s. I'm so sorry your first experience was less than perfect. It makes me so sad when I hear stories like that . . . thank goodness you're getting an easier go of it this time around!!! Fabulous post, Amber. I will save this as a link to send on to my friends who need assistance. I am soooooo lucky to have three wonderful breastfeeding experiences. I’m not sure why but I did follow most of your points . . . my midwives were fantastic, so helpful and supportive. I loved that skin-to-skin contact in the first few hours, just laying in my bed nursing a new baby. Moments I will cherish for the rest of my life. :)

p.s. I’m so sorry your first experience was less than perfect. It makes me so sad when I hear stories like that . . . thank goodness you’re getting an easier go of it this time around!!!

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