Why prenatal lactation support matters
If you're like me, of all the considerations on my pregnancy journey, feeding my baby was quite low on the priority list. Sure, I had feeding goals (I hoped to exclusively breastfeed) but I figured "I make milk. My baby gets hungry. How hard can it be?" I distinctly remember wondering how one could possibly fill an entire career with helping people feed their babies. Then I had my daughter and got to taste my very bitter medicine.
It felt like as soon as I began having challenges, the floodgates opened and everyone seemed to tell me about their own breastfeeding horror stories. What was this secret everyone was keeping? How did so many people struggle with this too? How can something that takes up so much of your life in the early days and weeks postpartum occupy such little space? I became insatiably curious. During my (many) postnatal visits to see lactation consultants, I asked questions, I fumbled blindly, I shed many tears.
Left: A very tired 12 day postpartum me trying to keep my supply up with pumping in between feeds
While early intervention improves breastfeeding outcomes, families are much more eager to learn (and much less sleep deprived) before their baby arrives. Evidence supports that prenatal and post natal lactation support increases the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding. In fact, perceived low milk supply (which is not correlated with actual low milk supply) is consistently among the top reasons why mothers stop breastfeeding or choose to supplement their infants (Kellymom). This tells me we need to do better in setting families up for success and building confidence in this skillset.
Right: Nursing my daughter with a supplementary nursing system (SNS). Note the syringe of milk hanging to the right.
Individualized education that centres around understanding parents goals, assessing risk factors for delayed or suboptimal lactation, learning about normal newborn behaviours and promoting self advocacy can make a tremendous difference in the lives and confidence of new families. I've become very passionate about prenatal feeding education and I hope with time and effort there will be more families feeling less overwhelmed and discouraged in the early days with their little one and more self-assured as new parents.
Some topics to go over during a prenatal feeding consultant can include:
A comprehensive health history and discussion around current/previous pregnancies
A collaborative discussion that looks at what your feeding goals are
Hand expression/colostrum collection
The use of breast pumps/milk collectors
Proper positioning and latch
Managing early engorgement
Recognizing normal newborn behaviours
Identifying when feeds are going well (or when some additional support may be needed)
Community resources
How you can best prepare for meeting your goals
Any questions/concerns you may have
Whether you are new to life with a baby or are looking to proactively manage difficulties you have had in the past, getting prenatal feeding support can make a real difference in navigating life with your little one and making sure you are both supported through the process.
