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Breastfeeding

We are thrilled you are thinking about or have decided to breastfeed! This page is provided to give basic information and guide you to reliable and extensive resources. As a practice, we encourage all women to breastfeed for at least 30 days. This short period of time helps mothers handle the physical act of engorgement and helps babies get a good start on developing a healthy immune system. At the end of one month, if you decide that is all you have to give, you can begin to wean your baby by cutting out one daily feed every 3–4 days. However, many women find that breastfeeding is a lot easier than they thought with such amazing benefits that they choose to continue for longer.

We will support your decision to bottle feed, but we believe you owe it to yourself and your baby to check out the links below in order to make an informed choice. Many women choose not to breastfeed their baby based on limited information, such as their last experience or the advice or experience of their mother/friend/sister…It is unfortunate that so many women feel they are unable to breastfeed based on these experiences and we want to assure you that we are here to help and support you in your efforts. If you have never breastfed before or you had a less-than-optimal experience in the past, we strongly recommend you attend the relatively inexpensive class offered by the hospitals, which can dramatically improve your success and satisfaction. The two local hospitals linked below offer breastfeeding classes.

La Leche League International
The La Leche League International is a breastfeeding support group that has been around for over 50 years. Their mission is to "help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother" (La Leche League International, 2008). This League is a wonderful resource for support, information, local La Leche groups and breastfeeding products. Check their website, which is very informative and helpful in answering all breastfeeding questions: www.llli.org.

Common Myths about Breastfeeding

"I don't have enough milk!"
The reason most women stop breastfeeding or offer formula (which leads to the loss of breastfeeding) is the belief that they do not have enough milk, especially in the first couple of days. Your baby has enough fat stores to supplement your colostrum (concentrated breast milk) until the mature milk comes in. Colostrum is nutrient-rich and babies only get about one tablespoon from each breast per feed. If your baby is nursing every 2–3 hours, wetting 2 diapers and having 2–5 bowel movements per day in the first couple of days, he or she is getting plenty of breast milk. The number of wet diapers will increase to 5–6 and feeds may spread out occasionally for up to four hours after your mature milk comes in. When your body adjusts to the proper supply and demand, your breasts will not always feel full, sore or engorged. Some women take the lack of this feeling as evidence they are not producing enough milk. Remember to monitor the diaper output as proof your baby is eating plenty.

"Breastfeeding hurts."
The most common cause of pain during breastfeeding is improper latch. Be sure your midwife, nurse, or lactation consultant spends time with you during a feeding to help you get this technique down. Some babies are just naturals (although they have never done this before!) and others need a little coaxing to get it right. Keep in mind that many women continue to breastfeed—some for years—child after child; recognize this as a sign that breastfeeding, when done with the proper latch technique, does not hurt. If you are experiencing persistent pain not related to latch, please contact us.

You will go through a period of engorgement (swelling of the breasts) 2–3 days after the baby is born. Prevention is the best cure; feed the baby as soon after birth as possible, especially if you have had a cesarean section (ask about positions especially for you), and feed the baby often. If your breasts do become engorged, continue nursing at least every two hours. Sometimes the nipple flattens out with very full breasts, which can prevent your baby from getting a proper latch and lead to sore nipples. You can hand express or use a cycling breast pump on a low setting to express just enough milk for the nipple to become easy for the baby to grasp. Engorgement usually resolves in 1–2 days. Until then, you may choose from the following to make yourself more comfortable:

When the feeling of engorgement passes, many women feel they do not have enough breast milk. After all, you have just gone from feeling you could feed the nation to just this one little baby! If this is the case, read the first section, "I don't have enough milk!"

Cabbage Leaves
The use of cabbage leaves is a very old remedy that has received much renewed interest from lactation professionals over the past 10 years. Though admittedly, there is not a lot of research on the effectiveness of using cabbage leaves to treat engorgement, they have been used and recommended for many mothers in hospitals all over the country. From our observations and mothers' reports, it does seem to be quite effective at relieving engorgement, while having little chance for side effects.

To treat engorgement, place a cold cabbage leaf (see preparation methods below), covering each breast, and securing inside the bra. Change leaves when wilted, approximately every two hours. As engorgement subsides, discontinue use. Continued use can dramatically reduce the milk supply.

When using cabbage leaf compresses, it can make it easier if you prepare enough leaves for several changes ahead of time. Wash the cabbage leaves, allow them to dry and place in a Ziploc bag until needed. There are several recommended methods of preparation to choose from: