Nikki writes:

 

Why is it that moms don't believe that they are feeding the baby when the
baby goes to breast? 

 

I have just talked to the umpteenth mother who said, "My baby was hungry
after breastfeeding so I gave him a bottle." If she's going to feed again,
put the baby back to breast!

 

 

I swear that this happens to me every other day.  And the mom will look at
me like I have two heads when I tell her to go ahead and nurse, or worse,
like she thinks I am telling her to starve her baby.  Even though I give my
standard explanation of how babies need to nurse a lot to get those little
bits of colostrum and that frequent nursing will give her a lot of milk down
the road and "isn't it great how it all works" many still don't believe me.
The staff nurses are picking up on this and are doing a great job of backing
me up and telling the moms that no bottles are needed, but many moms are not
convinced. 

 

 I remember my own daughter was one of those babies who would never stop
nursing the first few days.  Even though I didn't know much about
breastfeeding at that time, it never even occurred to me to think that she
needed a bottle; I just breastfed. 

 

Women don't trust their bodies to provide milk in those first few days.
Most cannot hand express colostrum, which really surprises me, although I
think they are just not comfortable handling their breasts.  I show them how
to do it, and they usually are filled with relief that something is "there."
Many feel that they "run out" of colostrum, though.  Where does that come
from?  Or they PUMP "just to see if milk is there" and get just drops, and
that convinces them that they have no milk and the baby is starving!
AARGH!!!

 

Melinda Lueck, RN, BSN, IBCLC, LCCE

Perrysburg, Ohio

 

 


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