It’s World Breastfeeding Week and this year’s theme is Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility. #WBW2021 will focus on how breastfeeding contributes to the survival, health and wellbeing of all, and the imperative to protect breastfeeding worldwide.
This means that we need to educate mothers on breastfeeding, help them prepare and give mothers the time and space to connect with their baby. I sat down with The Morning Show to discuss my top tips for new moms preparing for breastfeeding:
- Take a breastfeeding class.
- Pregnant women who learn about how to breastfeed are more likely to breastfeed than those who do not.
- Breastfeeding classes offer pregnant women and their partners the chance to prepare and ask questions before the baby’s arrival.
- Offers a chance to meet and connect with other mothers-to-be
- Tell your doctor (or Midwife) about your plans to breastfeed and ask as many questions as possible.
- Ask about postpartum breastfeeding support in your area (Clinics, classes, lactation consultants)
- Ask about favourite breastfeeding products
- Ask about any health issues that may restrict breastfeeding
- Discuss feeding options if you are unable to breastfeed
- Discuss your birth plan (which includes skin to skin, what to do if you are unable to immediately practice skin to skin)
- Buy all the Equipment:
- Be prepared for any nursing eventuality. Having the proper equipment on hand can make breastfeeding logistics a lot more manageable.
- Nursing Bras + Pads + Nipple Cream: Easier breast access, support and comfort and prevents leakage stains. Nipple Cream can soothe dry or chapped nipples.
- Nursing Pillows + Covers: Support for your arm and putting baby in the correct nursing position + Some people are more comfortable with a cover over baby + breast
- Breast Pump: Helps bring in milk, relieves engorgement, can help with production, also gives you some freedom so others can feed with your expressed milk
- Relax!
- Like most things in motherhood, breastfeeding may not be easy. Give yourself some grace. It will take time and patience. You and your baby will learn together. And if breastfeeding isn’t for you and baby, that is totally okay. You can find other options. A happy baby is a fed one – however that happens.
Finally, breastfeeding isn’t for everyone. For baby, fed is best and however you do that is what is best for baby.