LACTATION MADE SIMPLE

Tag: mother

  • 3 ways to prepare for breastfeeding before you give birth

    3 ways to prepare for breastfeeding before you give birth

    Preparing for breastfeeding should start during pregnancy. Start discussing it with your partner; they should know about breastfeeding as well, so they can support you. Support is important when it comes to taking care of an infant, whether it’s support from your partner or family. 

    1- LEARNING ABOUT THE BASICS OF BREASTFEEDING:

    I recommend any first-time mother to attend a meeting or workshop about breastfeeding in your area. For example, the La Leche League will typically have meetings with loads of information and resources. I think they can also be helpful to meet other parents-to-be or actually surround yourself with breastfeeding mothers who can support you when you have your baby. They have groups all across Canada. https://www.lllc.ca/

    Prenatal classes also are a great start, although not only focused on breastfeeding. Usually, the provider will know a thing or two about breastfeeding. What it comes down to is to try to educate yourself about the basics of breastfeeding and lactation. If you’re not the type to attend meetings or prenatal classes, there are some excellent books out there about breastfeeding.

    My favourite one, of course, is Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding: https://www.amazon.ca/Jack-Newmans-Guide-Breastfeeding-Revised/dp/1443410039/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3K30XU42U22NQ&keywords=jack+newman&qid=1665840865&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjkyIiwicXNhIjoiMS41OSIsInFzcCI6IjEuMzAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=jack+newman%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-1

    There’s also Breastfeeding: Empowering parents by Jack Newman: https://www.amazon.ca/Breastfeeding-Empowering-Jack-Newman-FRCPC/dp/1717802842/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3K30XU42U22NQ&keywords=jack+newman&qid=1665840940&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjkyIiwicXNhIjoiMS41OSIsInFzcCI6IjEuMzAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=jack+newman%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-6

    I took most of my lactation education through the International Breastfeeding Center (IBC) in Toronto (https://ibconline.ca/), and I thought their videos online were terrific for observing how a baby is drinking well at the breast. Unfortunately, some mothers are not aware of how to tell if a baby is drinking well or just nibbling; this is crucial for any first-time mother who is planning to breastfeed. So, go on their website and watch their videos! I recommend watching the one called “really good drinking” and also one called “nibbling” so that you can see the difference.

    2- MAKING A BREASTFEEDING PLAN:

    Making a plan is also an essential part of your preparation. Try to locate breastfeeding support near you in case you have some challenges, whether it is the public health nurse, a breastfeeding counsellor, or a lactation consultant (IBCLC). Talk to other breastfeeding mothers and ask whom they recommend.

    The International Lactation Consultant Association website has a directory, https://ilca.org/

    The Canadian Lactation Consultant Association also has one, https://www.clca-accl.ca/Find-an-IBCLC-in-your-area.

    It would help if you talked to your health care provider and asked him questions about birthing practices and the policies of the hospital where you will give birth. Let them know about your plan. If you have a cesarean section, ask them what the policies are, so you are aware of your options.

    Like I said in my previous blog post (The power of skin-to-skin), skin-to-skin is significant in establishing breastfeeding, so it should be part of your plan. Ideally, your baby should be on your skin for one hour, uninterrupted, after birth. Of course, this is as long as he is doing well. Most hospitals are already encouraging mothers to do so, but again, discuss it with the hospital staff, and make sure your partner and labour support are aware of it. I think it is essential to have this discussion so that your family does not expect to hold the baby in the first hour or two. I believe it is a crucial moment for mom, baby, and your partner. 

    3- DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO INVEST IN MANY NURSING ACCESSORIES:

    I do not believe that it is necessary to invest in any fancy gadgets, except for maybe one or two good quality nursing bras. Breast pumps are a significant investment but are not always required; you will eventually know if you need one; and if you do, you can still get one after your baby is born. In the first few days, good hand expression is even more effective than a breast pump. You generally don’t need anything to breastfeed, which is the beauty of it! All you need is your breasts and your baby. As you can see, I like to keep breastfeeding simple! 

    I wish you the best of luck in your breastfeeding journey! ❤️

    Pascale Juneau, RN, IBCLC

  • The power of skin to skin

    The power of skin to skin

    Just a few years ago, when I started working as a labour and delivery nurse, I would make a common mistake. I thought I was doing it right, but I realized after a while that I wasn’t. Let me explain.

    Once in a while, in the first two hours after birth, babies would get a bit cold. Their body temperature was below the expectations; it was not necessarily hypothermic, but on the colder side. All of the devices and instruments around me made me think that I needed to use them. So, my first choice would be to put the baby under the warmer in the labour & delivery room with a sensor on him to monitor his temperature. It would usually work well and warm up the baby effectively, but was it truly efficient?

    After a while, I was reminded by some brilliant nurses/colleagues that what’s even more useful is skin-to-skin contact. This kind of contact is the best tool of all, and it is generally readily available. The baby’s mom is most often there, in the bed, and more than happy to offer some pleasant warmth to her baby. And you know what? It’s proven to be the most effective way to regulate the baby’s temperature.

    Not only does skin-to-skin helps regulate body temperature, but it lessens crying, promotes mother-infant interactions, helps extra-uterine adaptation and overall benefits breastfeeding.

    Maybe you are pregnant and want to know how to give yourself the best chances at breastfeeding. My first suggestion would be to not be so fast in wrapping your baby up after birth. Keep your baby skin-to-skin for the first one to two hours after birth, just him in his diaper, on your bare chest. It’ll also make the first feed go smoother.

    In most cases, it’ll be feasible, and your nurses or doctor can do their early assessments and vital signs while your baby is on you. I also advise you to let the staff at the hospital know in advance that this is very important for you. If the baby doesn’t show signs of being in distress, they will most likely respect your desire to keep baby on your skin for one to two hours, uninterrupted.

    What about after the first initial hours? Well, that is just as important. It was a trick that some experienced nurses taught me when I first started working in a maternity ward. If a mother was having difficulty latching her baby, whether the baby was sleepy or just not latching correctly, putting the baby skin-to-skin was generally our first intervention. Often, after a while, the baby would be calmer and show signs of wanting to nurse, and you know what? The mother would often be more successful at obtaining a deeper latch.

    Personally, I also found skin-to-skin beneficial those first few weeks when my baby was gassy or fussy for no obvious reason. I would just lay with my baby on my skin, and he would generally calm down; it could take a little while, but he would soothe. However, if you have other children to care for, it is not hands-free, so maybe in those cases, wearing your baby in a carrier is more realistic. But this is a whole different topic that I could also talk about for days!

    Before I end this blog post, may I add that skin-to-skin can be done by someone other than the mother. The father/partner is also a great candidate when the mother is not available for whatever reason.

    So, there you have it: the power of skin-to-skin!

    Pascale Juneau RN, IBCLC