Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most important decisions you will make. It is essential that a new mother has lactation support. We believe that lactation support begins before your baby is even born. If a new mother has adequate education and support she is much more likely to achieve a positive breastfeeding experience.
Lactation support begins by attending a breastfeeding class where you and your support partner will learn the basics and the benefits of breastfeeding, as well as, reasons why it will be better for your baby. Some of the topics of learning may include skin-to-skin contact, positioning, the importance of the latch, and discussion of special circumstances.
After your baby is born, and while still in the hospital, requesting lactation help is the second stage in the process of successful breastfeeding. A Lactation Consultant is a certified professional with extensive experience assisting the mother and baby in the management of breastfeeding. Make sure a Lactation Consultant visits you in the hospital after the birth of your baby.
The last stage in lactation support is to make sure you have a good resource for lactation help should you need it after discharge from the hospital. The hospital stay is typically 24 to 48 hours. It is essential that your baby is latching well, that comfortable positioning for mother and baby is established, and that baby has not experienced a significant weight loss. If, after discharge, you experience difficulty, it is very important to have an experienced Lactation Consultant you can call on.
As Lactation Consultants and Obstetric Registered Nurses, we have learned over the last 20 years of our experience at the bedside of new mothers, that education, before the birth of the baby, and support, after birth and discharge from the hospital, are essential for a new mother and her support partner, in the preparation for a newborn.
