Every Breastfeed Counts !

  I was talking about this yesterday at my breastfeeding class  .

 Some mums say to me "I only breastfed for 3 weeks or 6 months".

 While I recognise  it's a source of disappointment for mothers when they don't reach their goal, it's     really important to recognise what you did you do!  

Remember the Irish national statistic for ANY breastfeeding at birth is 56%. So just under half the babies in Ireland never get any breastmilk at all!  

The ESRI report from last year goes into more depth http://www.esri.ie/news_events/latest_press_releases/breastfeeding_in_ireland_/

Pinky McKay is a lactation consultant in Australia . She wrote a great article  yesterday saying every breastfeed is a success .

http://m.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/breastfeeding/every-breastfeed-is-a-success-20130514-2jjwt.html

Other sources where families can recognise what each day or week of breastfeeding gives to their baby (and their own body) are from IBCLC  Diane Weissinger   "What if i want to wean my baby " 

My personal favourite is the NCTs "Reasons to be Proud". I've had many of my clients pin this to their fridge and cross off each milestone. They say its a daily reminder when things are tough and their breastfeeding journey is difficult. Download here 

Preparing For Breastfeeding ...Is it possible ?

Every so often I hear somebody say "there is no possible way to prepare for breastfeeding , you can only learn once you have a baby in your arms !"  

If we lived in culture where we learned about breastfeeding as we grew up then there would be very little need for breastfeeding classes or finding out more before your baby is born . But we don' t , we live in a society where breastfeeding is not considered important by the majority . 

So what are  my tips for getting ready for breastfeeding ? 

1) Invest as much time and energy as you can to breastfeeding as you give to Labour and birth.  One lasts a whole lots longer than the other ...  One hour at an antenatal class is not enough . 

·     2)  It’s a great idea to spend some time with a breastfeeding mother or 

·      attend a breastfeeding Support group before your baby is born .  The best Irish groups are linked here 

      Cuidiu ,

      La Leche League ,

      Friends of Breastfeeding  . 

      

·      3) Watch videos online of babies latching  . 

      Breastfeeding New Zealand has a great series on You Tube . Here is the latching one          

      Biological Nurturing /LaidBack Breastfeeding - Here 

      Breastfeeding Inc - Dr Jack Newnams Video Series-  Here 

        

        4) Read Read Read 

          Recommended Books : 

• Breastfeeding Made Simple by Nancy Morbacher and  Kathleen Kendall Tackett.
• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding – La Leche League International , Diana West, Diane Weissinger , Teresa Pitman. 8th  Edition.
• The Breastfeeding Mothers Guide to Making More Milk . Diana West IBCLC , Lisa Marasco IBCLC
•  What Every Parent Needs to Know: The incredible effects of love, nurture and play on your child's development . Margot Sutherland.
• The Food of Love , Kate Evans .

            Recommended websites : 

•      www.breastfeedingsupport.ie
•     www.breastfeeding.ie (HSE lists of support groups and phn clinics in Ireland). There’s also excellent information on medications now for GP’s and pharmacists.
•         www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com
•         www.kellymom.com (all breastfeeding info – really good site)
•         www.bestforbabes.org (excellent site for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers)
•        www.newdadmanual.ca/  ( breastfeeding site for Dads – like a car manual …)

       Those who have been to my class will have heard my anecdote about my first                 breastfeeding support group . I wonder if I had not gone along to that,  if i would have been able to breastfeed ?  I got no help from the hospital staff when my baby wouldn't latch following a ventouse birth  - so I rang a  Cuidiu breastfeeding counsellor at 7am ! 

     I will always be eternally grateful to her for helping me that morning .  I know that ten minute call was all i needed to believe that I could do it .We never looked back . That cousellor was also an IBCLC . She used to show me her certificate , framed beautifully  on the wall and say  it was her proudest academic achievement . I think the seed was sewn then for my future career!  So thank you , Paula . x 

      Had I been to a class i would have known about hand expression ,skin to skin and that a non latching baby does not mean the end of breastfeeding . 

      My class is held once a month on a Wednesday morning . Bookings are open up to 24 hours before  each class , although early booking is recommended if numbers are high 
       **Information on upcoming classes www.breastfeedingsupport.ie/classes ** 

From the Best for Babes site :

 One of the biggest keys to succeeding at breastfeeding is to set your head for a learning curve experience. Learning to breastfeed is no different than learning to swim, knit or sing: there may be bumps along the way, but keep your eye on the prize and before you know it, you’ll be doing great!