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Subject:
From:
Cathy Bargar <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 6 Jan 2000 18:09:07 -0500
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This is what I want women to know by the time they come home from the
hospital. All the rest is detail:

Breastfeeding is *very* important for their baby, not just a nice little
"extra something" that's nice to do as long as everything's easy. It's worth
persisting at, and there's always a way to make it work.

How to get the baby on and off.

Even more important - how to know *when* to get the baby on & off (i.e.
picking up on the baby's cues)

How to tell that it's "working" - or not, or only sort-of. And what a baby
sounds like when s/he's transferring milk efficiently.

Babies are funny little creatures, and they don't know "the rules" yet. Some
nurse "all the time". Some are very regular in their eating & excreting
patterns, and others aren't. The baby runs the show, at least at first, and
there is nothing on earth to be gained by trying to force a baby into a
pattern that doesn't suit him/her.

Who to call for help if/when they need it.

All this doesn't mean I think babies should just be dumped out on day 3 or
whatever and told to "call if you have questions".  We know, because
experience tells us so (and I'm sure there are studies to back it up), that
most people *don't* call for help when they need it. They just think they're
not doing something right and either quit or struggle along till things get
either better or worse. The burden needs to be on the system to contact them
at specific times pp, not the other way around.

Cathy Bargar RN IBCLC Ithaca NY

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