Are you a dad-to-be who’s partner is planning to breastfeed? Do you think that breastfeeding is something a woman does alone? Think again. One of the most important factors in determining whether a woman breastfeeds is the support of her partner. Here are some things you can do before the baby is even born that will help ensure that your baby gets off to a good start.
Remind the mom-to-be that you know what breasts are for and how amazing she is. Let her know that you appreciate that she wants to give your baby the best possible start in life. Marvel out loud that she will be able to nourish your baby with her breasts.
Go to a prenatal breastfeeding class with your partner.
Read about breastfeeding. Learn the facts. Dr. William Sears and Dr. Jack Newman are authors that dads tend to enjoy.
Counter any criticism with confidence.
Interview pediatricians and do some research to find breastfeeding-friendly doctors in your area.
Ask friends, neighbors and healthcare providers about recommended lactation consultants. Call them. Have a name or two on hand and bring phone numbers to the hospital or birthing center. Your wife will love it if you take some ownership of the decision to breastfeed.
Arrange for meals and other support from family/friends/neighbors for the first 6 weeks or so—especially for after you return to work.
Learn why breastfeeding is important to the mother of your baby. Have confidence in her and be proud of her choice!
Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com
A mother who is struggling with milk supply will go to great lengths to increase production. She will hang on to every word of every well-meaning friend, neighbor or health care provider. Unfortunately, much of what she hears may be untrue or even harmful.
Maybe you have heard that you must drink milk to make milk. This is not only false it makes no sense. Think about other mammals. Do you know of any adult mammal that drinks milk? Of course not! Mammals produce milk for their infants. Once the infant weans, they no longer need their mother’s milk. Think about dairy cows. They are prolific milk producers. And not one of them drinks milk!
What about water? It is, indeed, important to stay hydrated. You are losing fluids every day due to regular metabolic functioning in addition to milk production. If a mother is truly dehydrated, her milk supply may be affected. In those situations, drinking more water can help a mother recover a dwindling milk supply. But if you are already adequately hydrated, more water will not result in more milk. In addition, excess water can flush important nutrients from your body.
Try drinking a glass of water each time you breastfeed. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated, so don’t wait to get thirsty before you have that water. If you don’t enjoy water, try herbal tea, flavored waters or sparkling water. Take good care of yourself so you can take care of your baby!
Written by Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC. Renee is a lactation consultant in private practice in Seattle, Washington. She is available for home/hospital visits and phone consultations. Renee can be reached at www.second9months.com
“When are you due?” Nothing sends shivers down the back of an expectant mom more than this question. This is especially true for first time moms who are bombarded with this question.
Due dates are an estimate and yet mom’s-to-be are given a specific date and it sticks in everybody’s mind forever.
This date is in the back of every expectant mom’s mind when they plan any event, especially during the last weeks of their pregnancy. This often causes them to change plans and increases their angst.
Why is this so? Human gestation is approximately 38 weeks and starts from the day of conception until the day you deliver. Most people don’t know exactly when they conceived.
Health care providers count from the first of your last period, which is why pregnancies appear to last about 40 weeks.
Going back to my earlier question, wouldn’t a better way of answering the question be “my due date is between this date and that date?” So regardless of the answer, the expectant mom would be less stressed when everyone starts calling her on her due date and making statements and questions like “ I bet you’re going to have the baby today,” or, “Do you feel any contractions, today’s the day after all?”
Or after her due date being pestered with things like, “Why haven’t you had the baby yet, is something wrong? “
The pressure that she feels can be mostly avoided by being given the two-week span due date and since mom will be less stressed, so will baby! Feel free to write me (jan@janmartinka.com) with any (non-medical) birth or postpartum questions to get a doula’s perspective. To find out about my services, please visit my website at www.janmartinka.com.