Nikki and all:
Almost always, when I teach an inpatient hospital
class, someone says, while I am suggesting frequent,
small feedings, "But I don't have any milk yet". So I
explain that colostrum is so important to mammals that
farmers make sure their baby animals get their
mothers' colostrum so that they don't die, that we
chave cleaner conditions than the barnyard, but it is
the most important food they will give their baby, and
"is like medicine", and then I describe the size of
the baby's stomach. In addition, many women think if
they can't see it, it isn't there. So i tell them
it's been there since about the 16th week of
pregnancy, and describe some visual cues they might
have seen.
Now-bonding: Many new mothers I see know about the
importance of bonding. What worries me most, is they
think if they didn't breastfeed in the delivery room,
or even in the first few hours, they won't be able to
bond with their babies. If they are able, I try to
get them skin-to-skin (which they love) and talk about
how mothers bond with their babies regardless of
feeding methods.
Breastfeeding is wonderful; I worked very hard to
breastfeed all my children, and will go to all kinds
of lengths to help someone else. But I don't want a
new mother to think she is doomed to never bond to her
baby if she doesn't get it all right "by the book"
(whatever that book is) right away. One of the things
I am most proud of is helping to empower women to make
a positive choice for themselves and their family and
feel good about it. Even if it is not the choice I
would have made. because it is not my baby-it is
hers.
Now I have an answer and a question. Yes, we use
hydrogels sometimes, and have had good results, but
our source has disappeared. Anyone have a
recommendation for a reliable, reasonably priced
hydrogel? Feel free to contact me off-list.
Ellen Kadden, M.A., IBCLC, RLC
LLLleader
Fairfield, CT (where it has been spring today)
mom to Sarah, 25, David, 22, Peter, 19
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