Sara Chana, lactation consultant extraordinaire, sheds light on the issues, mysteries and joys of breastfeeding.
If Breastfeeding is such a ‘natural’ process for moms and babes why do so many women give up so quickly? The answer is simple. Although there is a natural desire for both the mother and baby to breastfeed, nursing is a learned behavior. It is true that some babies just latch onto the breast and figure it out; but most babies need to explore, discover and be guided with breastfeeding. Just think about the process children go through when they learn to crawl, walk, eat, speak and potty train. Some kids learn it faster than others and that is the same with breastfeeding. The same thing goes for moms; some women pick up new skills very quickly while others need to learn things slowly over a period of time. I have seen that with new moms if they are guided properly they can succeed, and advice that works for one woman may be the worst advice for the next. Here are five things to analyze in your own breastfeeding to help ensure success. These are the questions I first discuss with my clients even before I begin watching the baby breastfeed.
Analyze your child’s behavior: Is he sleepy, impatient, aggressive or passive. Once you know how your child is coping in the world it will be easier to guide your baby and understand what kind of intervention is needed specifically for your child. Sleepy babies need different intervention than aggressive babies. Sleepy babies may need an intervention called breast compression, babies who are too aggressive may do well to suckle on a finger before latching so the baby can get out their aggression on the finger and be more patient as the mother understands how to achieve a ‘pain-free’ latch.
Analyze the size and shape of your nipple and areola: Your child may be struggling with breastfeeding because you may have difficult nipples, two different shaped nipples or a breast shape that is difficult to latch onto. Look at yourself in the mirror and really analyze and understand where on the breast your baby needs to latch onto. Flat nipples need a different latch than women with long nipples. Both will struggle to attain the perfect latch but both will require different techniques.
Analyze what the diapers look like: With these super absorbent diapers it is often difficult to really tell if your baby is urinating enough. I always suggest that my new moms put a tissue folded in half and placed inside the diaper. This way the parents can really tell if the diaper is wet and what color the urine is which teaches parents a lot more and helps ensure that the baby is getting hydrated enough.
Analyze how your birth affected your baby. This may be difficult for you to correctly assess, but if you had a difficult birth this could affect how well your baby breastfeeds. Did you push for a long time, did you get lots of medications that your baby may still be breaking down and passing through their body. It can take up to two weeks for you and your baby recover from a difficult birth. If you feel your baby is not getting enough fluid from breastfeeding do not be afraid to add some extra fluid for your baby. I suggest using a dropper to administer extra pumped breast milk or formula as opposed to a bottle to ensure the baby does not get nipple confusion.
Lastly, analyze how your breastfeeding is going: If you do not feel you understand your child’s behavior, how the shape and size of your nipple and breast can affect your success, not sure what diapers are supposed to look like and are not certain if your birth experience is getting in the way of your breastfeeding success please ask a Lactation Consultant who can help you clarify what needs to be fixed so you and your baby can succeed at breastfeeding.
Sara Chana, IBCLC, RH (AHG) www.sarachana.com is a lactation consultant, classical homeopath, registered herbalist, doula and mother of seven children. She has worked with over 10,000 new moms and babies. She just launched an APP called Breastfeeding For Boobs which has 103 videos and a section on alternative medicine for moms that is available on iTunes and Google Play. It is an encyclopedia that fits in the palm of your hand. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sarachana.breastfeeding
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sara-chanas-breastfeeding/id743090884?mt=8