Helping mothers with breastfeeding
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 11:00 am
I had problems getting started breastfeeding with my first baby. She wasn't latching on properly, i was painfully engorged, she wasn't gaining weight and i had to pump before feeds to relese some milk and make my breasts softer so she could get a proper hold and a proper feed. I had cracked bleeding nipples and was in tears at feeding times from the pain. But the midwifes in the hospital and the breastfeeding counceler who came to help me at home were very supportive and respctful of my determination to breastfeed. In my eyes there was no other way. Breastfeeding is like an extention of pregnancy, somthing which is a natural function, not a choice, its what is supposed to happen so i didn't even concider giving up. After the first month i was becoming a pro and wondering what all the fuss was about. And when my second was born i had virtually no problems feeding him right from the begining. I remember it stinging for a few seconds at the begining of the feed and the pain quickly subsibing as i relaxed and enjoyed the time together cooing over my new born. After the first week, maybe 2 weeks tops everything was grate, no pain at all, plain sailing ever since. I breastfed my daughter until she was 2 and a half and will do the same for my son, now 16 months.
I had my babies in Scotland where there is support and advice avalible for new mothers to help with breastfeeding. However, here in Macedonia there is no such support and i think the docters must get payed by the formula companies to premote bottle feeding as every new mother iv spoke to her tells me the same thing, 'the docter told me i don't have milk and i must bottle feed instead' ! This is completly wrong! I'v already helped one of my friends here who was pregnant the same time as i was with my son. The docter had sent her home from the hospital with the advice to only breastfeed every 3 hours! Of course her milk supply reduced and her baby stopped gaining weight and she was told she didnt have milk and just to bottle feed. Luckily i was there to help and support her and advised her to feed the baby all day and night, as much as possible which maybe as often as every 30min. In a month she had regained her milk supply and faded out the formula milk completly. She always thanks me for helping her, she says she'll never forget it.
Just now another friend has had a baby and the same thing is happening to her. I'm going over to see her tonight for the first time since she gave birth. Hopfully i can help her too. She says she has been told she can't breastfeed because she has flat nipples and there's nothing that can be done about it. Iv been looking online and there is clearly ways to deal with this problem:
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/arti ... ed-nipples and it says in most cases breastfeeding actually corrects this problem as the baby is sucking on the nipple and streching and pulling it outward.
Does anyone know of any good sites for information for breastfeeding councelers? Or any other good sourses of credible up to date information? Is there any midwifes/health visitors/breastfeeding councilers on the forum? I don't want to give people bad advice. I want to learn as much as possible so i can help other women here.
I had my babies in Scotland where there is support and advice avalible for new mothers to help with breastfeeding. However, here in Macedonia there is no such support and i think the docters must get payed by the formula companies to premote bottle feeding as every new mother iv spoke to her tells me the same thing, 'the docter told me i don't have milk and i must bottle feed instead' ! This is completly wrong! I'v already helped one of my friends here who was pregnant the same time as i was with my son. The docter had sent her home from the hospital with the advice to only breastfeed every 3 hours! Of course her milk supply reduced and her baby stopped gaining weight and she was told she didnt have milk and just to bottle feed. Luckily i was there to help and support her and advised her to feed the baby all day and night, as much as possible which maybe as often as every 30min. In a month she had regained her milk supply and faded out the formula milk completly. She always thanks me for helping her, she says she'll never forget it.
Just now another friend has had a baby and the same thing is happening to her. I'm going over to see her tonight for the first time since she gave birth. Hopfully i can help her too. She says she has been told she can't breastfeed because she has flat nipples and there's nothing that can be done about it. Iv been looking online and there is clearly ways to deal with this problem:
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/arti ... ed-nipples and it says in most cases breastfeeding actually corrects this problem as the baby is sucking on the nipple and streching and pulling it outward.
Does anyone know of any good sites for information for breastfeeding councelers? Or any other good sourses of credible up to date information? Is there any midwifes/health visitors/breastfeeding councilers on the forum? I don't want to give people bad advice. I want to learn as much as possible so i can help other women here.