Top Reasons to Breastfeed :: Why You Should, Myths Surrounding It, & Finding Your Breastfeeding Tribe

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Disclaimer :: Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth sponsored and crafted this post about why mothers ought to consider breastfeeding. 

Breastfeeding is a passion of mine from both a professional standpoint as an OB/GYN and a personal standpoint as a mom. 

mother nuzzling newborn nose
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon from UnSplash

Concerns about whether a new mom is going to be able to breastfeed are universal. A study of an African tribe with almost universal breastfeeding showed the exact same fears as American women. The difference was that all the women in the tribe had several months of support following childbirth to help them with different challenges that pop up. While most of us in Fort Worth don’t have a parade of women from our “tribe” to support us, we do have the benefit of very experienced, supportive lactation consultants who can help us work through common issues. 

Why Breastfeed? 

  1. Breastfeeding is best. I know we say this, but it really is true! Human milk is the best thing for a baby and the benefits to mom, baby, and society at large are huge. This advantage is even more apparent in preterm infants who are fed either their mother’s milk or donor breast milk.
  2. Breast-fed babies have reduced rates of urinary tract infections, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis than formula fed infants. Term infants also receive direct benefit to nutrition, gastrointestinal function, immune defense, and psychological well-being. They have less frequent illness and the severity of illness is less than formula fed infants. I noted this to be true in my own little one, who was a late, preterm infant. Even though she was in daycare and exposed to infections there, she had very few illnesses, none requiring antibiotics, and all were very mild in nature while she was breastfed.
  3. Moms benefit from breastfeeding as well. They have accelerated recovery from childbirth, reduced response to stress, enhanced weight loss, and frequently will not have periods while breastfeeding (however this is not a form of birth control). There is an incredibly beautiful bonding experience between mother and child with breastfeeding. It can be intensely satisfying knowing that your body is sustaining your child and that his or her adorable pudgy rolls came from you! There are long-term benefits as well including reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and both breast and ovarian cancer. 
  4. There are also financial benefits seen in both savings from purchasing formula and in reduced visits to the pediatrician, hospitalizations, medications, and parental work absences. Society benefits as well from a healthier mother and baby. 
  5. Being able to soothe and comfort your child at any time with nutrition from you is a life saver and can bring sanity back to most meltdown situations!

Common Misconceptions 

  1. The most common misconception is when a mother thinks “I’m not making enough milk.” Every single first-time mom feels this way. Every single one! The only way to truly know how much milk a baby is receiving is to weigh the baby prior to a feed and then weigh after a feed. However by monitoring infant weight and wet and dirty diapers, we have a pretty good idea of how baby is doing. Many women get concerned because they believe when their baby feeds often, it must mean he or she is not getting enough milk. However your baby is born with a marble-sized stomach, which increases slowly with time. Their small stomach ensures the baby digests milk quickly, and then they are ready for more. Frequent feedings are also their way of letting your body know when milk production needs to be ramped up, for example when your milk is initially coming in and when baby goes through growth spurts. If supplementing with formula is occurring, your body has no way of knowing that production needs to increase. 
  2. Another common myth is that baby will know how to latch and conversely that breastfeeding hurts. Your baby needs help achieving a good latch. Breastfeeding is a very hands-on process. With a good latch, breastfeeding should not hurt. The problem comes with tolerating poor latches, which can tear up your nipples.  
  3. Lastly, one of the most common things requested in my office is a prescription for a breast pump. Do not get me wrong, breast pumps are super helpful when you have to be separated from your little one, but it is not the answer to struggles with breastfeeding. Your little one is more efficient than any pump on the market. My hat is off to women who end up having to be exclusive pumpers, because it is a very long hard road. 

Baylor Scott and White All Saints Fort Worth

There are certain moms who are not going to be able to breastfeed. They include women who are undergoing chemo or certain types of radiation; women who have HIV; women who have had breast reduction surgery, or are on powerful mental health medications like lithium. Most other moms, including ones on depression medication, are able to breastfeed. There are those who are presented with particular challenges, such as premature infants or jaundice that require supplementation that can be difficult to overcome. The most important thing I stress to my first-time moms, or for moms who struggled previously, is to take a breastfeeding class. This provides a wealth of information and handouts to take home to help prepare you before your little one arrives. 

dress in entry of Baylor Scott and White All Saints

From my own personal experience with support from lactation consultants, I was able to successfully breastfeed my first for 27 months despite early issues with being preterm and having jaundice that required supplementation with donor breast milk. Most hospitals, including Andrews Women’s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth, offer breastfeeding classes that you can take. You can also visit the IBCLC website to find certified lactation consultants in your area, some who are now taking insurance.

More than anything, I want you to know there are people you can turn to who are eager to help you be successful. None of this is about shaming any mother. Instead it is about informing and supporting you in your decisions. Your OB, your pediatrician, your L&D and postpartum nurses, and most of all your lactation consultant are here to help you in any way. Most mothers with commitment, perseverance, and support are able to be successful with breastfeeding, and we want to help you find your tribe that makes you as successful as possible.

Baylor Scott and White's Rachel Lusby OB-GYMDr. Rachel Lusby is an OB/GYN who has been in private practice in Fort Worth for the past 10 years. She loves to travel, lives with her husband and daughter, and is expecting her second child this fall.

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