Showing posts with label no supplementing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no supplementing. Show all posts
Monday, March 19, 2012
Why no one breastfeeds anymore...
I happen to have "liked" many parenting, breast feeding and birth pages on Facebook. One thing I have noticed about ALL of them is that despite posting daily about normal behavior in babies, especially breastfed ones, about how to successfully breastfeed, and more, at least once a day and sometimes as much as every hour a mom asks the page a question that baffles me.
"My baby wants to eat every hour or two at night and I need sleep. Why is she doing this and how can I stop it"
"My baby is using me as a pacifier. What can I do?"
"My baby nurses once a day and I give him LOTS of solids and water and juice and bottles of formula while I am at work. My supply seems to be dwindling, how can I get it back up?"
"My baby is 2 days old and not acting satisfied after nursing, so, I let him nurse for a minute and then give him a bottle of formula. How can I get him to nurse more?"
These are just some of the questions I have seen and they all can let me know a few things about modern society that help me to know exactly why hardly anyone breastfeeds or why they quit early if they do.
We are under the impression that a baby should eat quickly and remain satisfied for hours after a feed(like the modern formula fed counterpart), we believe that babies should go to sleep immediately once placed in a crib and should sleep soundly for most of the night(8 hours is good, but 12 hours is best), we believe that sucking beyond feeding and for comfort is for pacifiers only because breast aren't pacifiers(even though pacifiers ARE breast substitutes for when the breast isn't available to be suckled), we are under the impression that breastmilk isn't supply and demand and should turn on and off like like a faucet(even doctors and nurses don't seem to get this one).....
Then, you add in the fact that "breastfeeding is a private thing reserved for mom and baby alone and hidden from view of the world.", that daddies "absolutely CANNOT ever, ever bond with baby unless he gets to bottle feed at least a million times.", that " breasts are sexual ONLY and only for your husband to touch because a baby touching them is child porn and exposing he child to sex.", that "breastfeeding is GROSS and that formula is WAY easier and full of SO MANY vitamins and minerals that breastmilk doesn't have"., and "everyone and their mom and sister and grandma and best friends and dog had formula and are JUST FINE even though they all have breast cancer, hypertension, strokes, diabetes, asthma....and so on." .....
Every ad you see has a bottle fed baby, every show you watch has a bottle fed baby, every family you see in town is bottle feeding their baby in public, every doll you own has a bottle, every book you read has a bottle fed baby...
Your mom keeps telling you that baby isn't satisfied if he wants to eat every 2 hours and you should formula feed, your grandma thinks it's gross and tells you to formula feed, your hubby doesn't want you to nurse in front of ANYONE and wants you to formula feed, the doc thinks baby is a little lighter than average and wants you to formula feed, your best friends baby was formula fed and slept all night from day one(she also allowed baby to scream until it passed out from day one)...
So...If you have believed these things, saw these things, heard these things and were told these things....
It's no wonder we all quit. How could you not? It's just failure waiting to happen and IF, IF you happened to nurse beyond the first day, week, month or year...you deserve a standing ovation. Think of everything you overcame. The obstacles are MANY. The help is few.
How can we counteract ALL this that is SO against breastfeeding? Can you think of some ways?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Lies Told To Nursing Moms and Lies Nursing Moms Tell
.
My milk took 3 days to come in and colostrum wasn't enough because he lost some weight:
Milk normally takes quite a few days to some in. Colostrum usually is only a few tablespoons because baby's stomach is the size of a marble and colostrum has WAY more fat, calories and nutrients than regular breastmilk and formula. So, colostrum IS way more than enough for baby for a good bit. If you had fluids through the IV during labor, chances are baby will lose a bit more weight after birth than if you didn't...pair that with normal weight loss, you may think you need to supplement. However, what you really need to do is nurse more. The more you nurse, the more you make. Simple. The second you supplement with formula is the second you told your breast to stop making as much milk. The more you nurse, the faster your milk will come in. Just remember, colostrum DOES have more fat, calories and nutrients than formula...so why would you want to supplement and baby's stomach is the size of a MARBLE regardless of how big they were at birth...so why would you think they need a whole bottle of formula or a whole bottle of pumped breastmilk?
My milk didn't come in so I was told to supplement:
Unless it has been a week+ and baby is getting nothing out(meaning you don't hear him swallowing and he is not making any wet or poopy diapers), then, you shouldn't give formula and assume you haven't got milk. You should from birth be nursing on demand. Which may be VERY often. Baby should increase the amount of wet and poopy diapers daily up to at least 6-8 even somewhat wet daily. Baby should seem content after each feed. Baby should gain weight by each check up(meaning, baby should follow his own curve of growth).
My baby eats a lot, I must not have enough to feed him:
This falls back to the first myth...if baby IS satisfied after his feed and IS gaining weight and IS wetting/dirtying diapers, rest assured, he is getting exactly what he needs. Eating frequently is what babies do. Breastmilk digests well and growing babies eat small amounts often. Growth spurts also cause babies to eat more often. Even if baby is nonstop nursing at the breast, it doesn't mean he isn't getting full or you aren't making enough. He may be having a growth spurt, teething, feels sick...anything.
My baby was big, I couldn't keep up:
This is the craziest. Even the 16lb baby doesn't need 4oz+ in a sitting. Look at your baby's fist...their stomach in no bigger than that fist. I am grown and my hand cannot hold more than 4oz. Your baby is born with a stomach the size of a marble...even if they are huge. The stomach grows to shooter marble size after a week or two. then, it finally gets to fist size...it is supposed to STAY FIST SIZED for life. You stomach should never become bigger than your fist.
Many women do not produce enough:
NOT TRUE! Most women not only make enough, they make TOO much. Only a TINY few truly cannot make enough. The problem is NOT that mom isn't making enough, it is that baby isn't getting out what mom has. This could be from a poor latch, a tongue-tie or any number of reasons. That is why mom's need someone to show how to properly latch baby on from the first feed on the first day.
Pumping will give you a good indication of how much you are making:
It is a well known fact that babies can get out WAY more milk than ANY pump can. Not only that, but, most women don't respond well to the pump. Most women can get .5-2oz MAX per pumping session. Some women can pump loads, but, the output will NEVER equal what is truly coming out when baby feeds.
I will be tied down to baby if I breastfeed:
Actually, baby can be nursed about anywhere. You don't have to warm the milk up or carry a bag to hold it all or wash bottles, make formula, store pre-made bottles...only need you and baby. Bottle feeding requires you to carry a lot of stuff if you are going to be gone all day or weekend.
My breast stopped feeling full, so I needed to switch to formula:
Breasts don't ever have to feel full. That is NEVER a good indicator of milk production. It only means that your body is regulating your milk production properly. Even if they have felt full and suddenly stopped, it's ok as long as baby is still growing and wetting enough diapers.
My child refused to latch, he didn't like the breast:
Chances are if baby's latch is bad, you can work to help him learn to do it properly by changing positions, using a shield or consulting an IBCLC. Now, baby could have a tongue tie or lip tie that needs diagnosed or it may even be a posterior one that is harder to diagnose and getting it clipped may be the trick. Or baby could have a lazy latch and needs practice...any number of things. Sometimes, it can be fixed. Sometimes...it cannot.
My milk took 3 days to come in and colostrum wasn't enough because he lost some weight:
Milk normally takes quite a few days to some in. Colostrum usually is only a few tablespoons because baby's stomach is the size of a marble and colostrum has WAY more fat, calories and nutrients than regular breastmilk and formula. So, colostrum IS way more than enough for baby for a good bit. If you had fluids through the IV during labor, chances are baby will lose a bit more weight after birth than if you didn't...pair that with normal weight loss, you may think you need to supplement. However, what you really need to do is nurse more. The more you nurse, the more you make. Simple. The second you supplement with formula is the second you told your breast to stop making as much milk. The more you nurse, the faster your milk will come in. Just remember, colostrum DOES have more fat, calories and nutrients than formula...so why would you want to supplement and baby's stomach is the size of a MARBLE regardless of how big they were at birth...so why would you think they need a whole bottle of formula or a whole bottle of pumped breastmilk?
My milk didn't come in so I was told to supplement:
Unless it has been a week+ and baby is getting nothing out(meaning you don't hear him swallowing and he is not making any wet or poopy diapers), then, you shouldn't give formula and assume you haven't got milk. You should from birth be nursing on demand. Which may be VERY often. Baby should increase the amount of wet and poopy diapers daily up to at least 6-8 even somewhat wet daily. Baby should seem content after each feed. Baby should gain weight by each check up(meaning, baby should follow his own curve of growth).
My baby eats a lot, I must not have enough to feed him:
This falls back to the first myth...if baby IS satisfied after his feed and IS gaining weight and IS wetting/dirtying diapers, rest assured, he is getting exactly what he needs. Eating frequently is what babies do. Breastmilk digests well and growing babies eat small amounts often. Growth spurts also cause babies to eat more often. Even if baby is nonstop nursing at the breast, it doesn't mean he isn't getting full or you aren't making enough. He may be having a growth spurt, teething, feels sick...anything.
My baby was big, I couldn't keep up:
This is the craziest. Even the 16lb baby doesn't need 4oz+ in a sitting. Look at your baby's fist...their stomach in no bigger than that fist. I am grown and my hand cannot hold more than 4oz. Your baby is born with a stomach the size of a marble...even if they are huge. The stomach grows to shooter marble size after a week or two. then, it finally gets to fist size...it is supposed to STAY FIST SIZED for life. You stomach should never become bigger than your fist.
Many women do not produce enough:
NOT TRUE! Most women not only make enough, they make TOO much. Only a TINY few truly cannot make enough. The problem is NOT that mom isn't making enough, it is that baby isn't getting out what mom has. This could be from a poor latch, a tongue-tie or any number of reasons. That is why mom's need someone to show how to properly latch baby on from the first feed on the first day.
Pumping will give you a good indication of how much you are making:
It is a well known fact that babies can get out WAY more milk than ANY pump can. Not only that, but, most women don't respond well to the pump. Most women can get .5-2oz MAX per pumping session. Some women can pump loads, but, the output will NEVER equal what is truly coming out when baby feeds.
I will be tied down to baby if I breastfeed:
Actually, baby can be nursed about anywhere. You don't have to warm the milk up or carry a bag to hold it all or wash bottles, make formula, store pre-made bottles...only need you and baby. Bottle feeding requires you to carry a lot of stuff if you are going to be gone all day or weekend.
My breast stopped feeling full, so I needed to switch to formula:
Breasts don't ever have to feel full. That is NEVER a good indicator of milk production. It only means that your body is regulating your milk production properly. Even if they have felt full and suddenly stopped, it's ok as long as baby is still growing and wetting enough diapers.
My child refused to latch, he didn't like the breast:
Chances are if baby's latch is bad, you can work to help him learn to do it properly by changing positions, using a shield or consulting an IBCLC. Now, baby could have a tongue tie or lip tie that needs diagnosed or it may even be a posterior one that is harder to diagnose and getting it clipped may be the trick. Or baby could have a lazy latch and needs practice...any number of things. Sometimes, it can be fixed. Sometimes...it cannot.
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