Breastfeeding Dads–To-Be

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“The guys who fear becoming fathers don’t understand that fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man. The end product of child raising is not the child but the parent” Frank Pittman, Man Enough.

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. Listen. Take notes. Ask questions. Continue reading →

Milk Supply and Fluid Intake

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A mother who is struggling to provide enough milk to her baby will go to great lengths to increase her supply. She will hang on to every word of every well-meaning friend, relative or health care provider. Unfortunately, much of what she hears may be untrue or even potentially harmful to her health!

The number one myth I hear over and over again is that one 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 who drinks milk? Of course not! Mammals produce milk for their infants. When they mature and wean, they no longer need their mother’s milk. Think about dairy cows. They are prolific milk producers. And not one of them drinks milk! Continue reading →

My Baby Won’t Latch!

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I hear this phrase several times a week. It troubles me because it implies that the baby is unwilling breastfeed. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You baby was born to breastfeed! She is hard-wired to seek comfort and nutrition from you breasts. This is, after all, how babies survive! When a baby is unable to latch and breastfeed it simply means that she is unable to latch and breastfeed—not that she is unwilling! Continue reading →

Breastfeeding in Public–A New Point of View

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The following was written by sister lactation consultant, Norma Ritter. Thank you, Norma, for your thoughtful and humorous contribution to this forum!

There are few things less attractive than a person eating. People who do so in public should be charged with indecent exposure. At the very least, they should apologize to all the other folk in the vicinity. If they can’t cover their naked …mouths then they should stay at home!

I don’t see why people can’t either eat before leaving the house, or just take an IV with them. It is a simple matter to carry the necessary equipment and liquid nutrients in a small cooler. For goodness sakes, companies give away the coolers for free! And did you know that the growing trend is to wear a permanent hep-lock in your arm? Continue reading →

Emma’s Breastfeeding Saga

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DSCN2653When I was pregnant, I had lots of thoughts about my future breastfeeding life. I was planning on being one of those out-on-the-town moms–baby nursing happily while in a sling or sitting together under a tree in one of Seattle’s local parks. My biggest concern was how long to breastfeed–not if I could breast feed. But things turned out differently.

Solomon was a sleepy baby and didn’t breastfeed regularly. When he did breastfeed, it was very painful. The nurses told me pain was normal. The pain was so bad I would make my husband stand on my feet during feedings to counteract the nipple pain Still, I was determined to breastfeed.
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