From Pregnancy to Weaning
Updated August 01, 2013.
Breastfeeding is a huge public health issues right now. The reason being is that medical authorities are realizing the impact that breastfeeding can have on the health of babies and mothers. In fact it's estimated that we could save nearly 1,000 lives a year by increasing breastfeeding lengths of moms to six months, which is still short of the recommended times.
While breastfeeding is very important to all babies, there are certain babies that it is crucial for, namely premature babies.
These infants are at a higher risk for many specific diseases of prematurity like necrotizing entercolitis. Breastmilk helps protect these preemies against this killer infection of the intestine. It is such a miracle cure, many NICUs are going to donor breastmilk for premature infants who can't get breastmilk any other way.
There are a lot of issues that surround breastfeeding, including some common issues with breastfeeding. While women who take breastfeeding classes prior to giving birth tend to have fewer problems, it is not a cure all. Many hospitals are looking towards getting a Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) designation from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. This would ensure a mother who chose that hospital, that there was a minimum standard of support there for her and her baby. This includes, not only prenatal education, but round the clock lactation care from experts, the International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), and that even those who weren't IBCLCs would have a minimum amount of training.
It would also ensure that birth practices would be geared toward a successful nursing relationship. This includes immediate skin-to-skin care, even after cesarean births, for moms and babies to begin the process of breastfeeding. It would also help to deal with many of the problems that can get in the way of a successful start to breastfeeding, like routine procedures being done immediately, separation of mom and baby and mandatory nursery stays for healthy newborns.
After the first few feedings, there will still be moms who have some problems. While most problems can be corrected very easily if caught early on, they can quickly grow if not taken care of immediately. Some of the more common problems include issues with the latch, positioning at the breast and other things that might cause sore nipples.
Once away from the watchful eye of the staff at your hospital or birth center, you might also wonder if your baby is getting enough breastmilk. Or you might be concerned about an over or under supply of breastmilk. Finding good lactation support can be crucial. This can mean both professional support, pediatric support or even mother-to-mother support groups.
As you get breastfeeding down, other questions crop up. You might wonder about how to breastfeed in public so you can leave your home. If so, will you cover or not? You might wonder if you should introduce a bottle to your baby so you can go back to work and when to do that. You might have questions about pumping or breast pumps. The support groups are great as are websites and books.
So let's talk about practical matters for a minute - how about breastfeeding fashion? Do you want to wear special clothes? Do you have special clothing needs like nice office clothes or formal dresses? While some like to talk about breastfeeding as free, I'd like to go on record as saying it is cheaper. But you still need to sock away some money for any special needs like professional support or a pump, clothes or even just breastfeeding pillows and other accessories.
There are also cultural issues beyond just the medical facts and the day-to-day life. For example, did you know that those who practice Islam consider it a baby's right to breastfeed for two years? Women who give birth in Saudi Arabia have fewer risks associated with some of the birth interventions that can lead to poor breastfeeding outcomes, like aggressive formula sales. In Judaism, there are provisions made during fasting holidays to allow for the needs of a nursing mother. A number of Christian moms tell me they are concerned about nursing in church. Talk to your spiritual leaders to find out what your religion or faith says about breastfeeding.
I'd also like to point out that we have a vast number of experts on many subjects here at About.com. Many of them have addressed the needs of breastfeeding mothers through the lens of their specialty. So please, check out some of these great works too:
Breastfeeding is a huge public health issues right now. The reason being is that medical authorities are realizing the impact that breastfeeding can have on the health of babies and mothers. In fact it's estimated that we could save nearly 1,000 lives a year by increasing breastfeeding lengths of moms to six months, which is still short of the recommended times.
While breastfeeding is very important to all babies, there are certain babies that it is crucial for, namely premature babies.
These infants are at a higher risk for many specific diseases of prematurity like necrotizing entercolitis. Breastmilk helps protect these preemies against this killer infection of the intestine. It is such a miracle cure, many NICUs are going to donor breastmilk for premature infants who can't get breastmilk any other way.
There are a lot of issues that surround breastfeeding, including some common issues with breastfeeding. While women who take breastfeeding classes prior to giving birth tend to have fewer problems, it is not a cure all. Many hospitals are looking towards getting a Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) designation from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. This would ensure a mother who chose that hospital, that there was a minimum standard of support there for her and her baby. This includes, not only prenatal education, but round the clock lactation care from experts, the International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), and that even those who weren't IBCLCs would have a minimum amount of training.
It would also ensure that birth practices would be geared toward a successful nursing relationship. This includes immediate skin-to-skin care, even after cesarean births, for moms and babies to begin the process of breastfeeding. It would also help to deal with many of the problems that can get in the way of a successful start to breastfeeding, like routine procedures being done immediately, separation of mom and baby and mandatory nursery stays for healthy newborns.
After the first few feedings, there will still be moms who have some problems. While most problems can be corrected very easily if caught early on, they can quickly grow if not taken care of immediately. Some of the more common problems include issues with the latch, positioning at the breast and other things that might cause sore nipples.
Once away from the watchful eye of the staff at your hospital or birth center, you might also wonder if your baby is getting enough breastmilk. Or you might be concerned about an over or under supply of breastmilk. Finding good lactation support can be crucial. This can mean both professional support, pediatric support or even mother-to-mother support groups.
As you get breastfeeding down, other questions crop up. You might wonder about how to breastfeed in public so you can leave your home. If so, will you cover or not? You might wonder if you should introduce a bottle to your baby so you can go back to work and when to do that. You might have questions about pumping or breast pumps. The support groups are great as are websites and books.
So let's talk about practical matters for a minute - how about breastfeeding fashion? Do you want to wear special clothes? Do you have special clothing needs like nice office clothes or formal dresses? While some like to talk about breastfeeding as free, I'd like to go on record as saying it is cheaper. But you still need to sock away some money for any special needs like professional support or a pump, clothes or even just breastfeeding pillows and other accessories.
There are also cultural issues beyond just the medical facts and the day-to-day life. For example, did you know that those who practice Islam consider it a baby's right to breastfeed for two years? Women who give birth in Saudi Arabia have fewer risks associated with some of the birth interventions that can lead to poor breastfeeding outcomes, like aggressive formula sales. In Judaism, there are provisions made during fasting holidays to allow for the needs of a nursing mother. A number of Christian moms tell me they are concerned about nursing in church. Talk to your spiritual leaders to find out what your religion or faith says about breastfeeding.
I'd also like to point out that we have a vast number of experts on many subjects here at About.com. Many of them have addressed the needs of breastfeeding mothers through the lens of their specialty. So please, check out some of these great works too:
- Can I exercise and breastfeed?
- How to Succeed at Breastfeeding and Working: Pumping Secrets, Storage and More
- Can Working Moms Breastfeed?
- Can I breastfeed if I'm sick?
- Smoking and Breastfeeding
- Alcohol and Breastfeeding
- Drugs and Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding with HIV or Hepatitis C
- Do I Have to Suppress My Milk Production After My Baby Dies?
- FAQs About Donating and Selling Breast Milk
- Can I Breastfeed My Adopted Baby?
- What Is Induced Lactation?
- What Are the Pros to Adoptive Breastfeeding?
- What Are the Cons to Adoptive Breastfeeding?
- Breastfeeding Tips to Help the New Adoptive Mother
- Reader Stories: How I Decided to Breastfeed My Adopted Baby - Why it Was Right for Me and My Baby
Source...