Category: Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding & Fertility

9/2/2019

There's a lot of information available on how breastfeeding can act as birth control in the early postpartum weeks and months. But, what about parents who are ready to get pregnant again, but still have a nursling? For these parents, the delay in return of fertility can be frustrating...but, they may also struggle with the idea of weaning their little one. But, it doesn't always have to be one or the other. There are strategies that can help bring on the return of ovulation without completely weaning. Lots of great info on this in the book below...

"Adventures in Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Beyond" by Hilary Flowers.

Other parents may feel that the time is right to say good-bye to nursing. For these parents, we offer support and information on how they can create a weaning process that is gentle on their bodies and their hearts. There are lots of different tips and tricks available!

kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ttc-while-bf/

Let us know if you have any questions! And, if you've successfully nursed through pregnancy, tandem nursed, or weaned your kiddo, we'd love to hear about your experience!

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Breastfeeding: The "Un"Natural Instinct

6/22/2017

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Dearest Readers,

This was written by a fantastic local mom who experienced two very different breastfeeding relationships when her little ones were born. We wanted to share it with you to show the difference a supportive community and a little encouragement can make when a parent struggles to breastfeed. If you are experiencing similar struggles, please seek help! There may be some minor changes that can make monumental differences as you begin nursing your little one.

Beverly's Story...

Beverly with her precious littles, Monica (on the left) and Genevieve (on the right).

As a new mom in 2015, I pictured the first few days of being a breastfeeding mom as a perfect little clip straight out of a fairy tale: my little girl and I, snuggled up under blankets, her gently taking my breast, like a dainty little fawn, as I smile gently down at her, drinking up her cuteness, while the husband makes us a cup of nice tea, and all would be right with the world.

Needless to say, this is NOT how nature makes it. And all those movies and fairy tales? LIES. All LIES.

Breastfeeding is NOT easy. And being thrown into it, with a fussy baby who treated my nipples like they were a block of cheese dropped in front of a mouse hole, I was lost. I felt I didn't have the support I needed, and within a few short weeks, I found myself with no milk supply left and having to feel defeated, moving directly to formula.

Fast forward to this year, getting ready to birth my second daughter in March. This time, I was DETERMINED to pull through and get through the pain and agony. But the one weapon I had this time, going in, was knowledge and support! I knew what to expect the first hours, days, and weeks going in. I set up my calendar with all the breastfeeding support groups I could find. I had my mothers milk tea all ready to use. I had also let my friends and family know my choices and gathered the support from them. And best of all, I had a good friend get me in contact with a personal Doula, that would come into my home and help me transition into the life of two young girls.

Even with all the knowledge and expectancy I had with my second that I didn't have with my first, I still had bumps in the road. I would find bad pain during nursing, or find my supply dropping at certain times. It wasn't as easy as I thought, even with a more knowledgeable mindset. But the big difference is, I found that I could always reach out to my doula for any advice, words of wisdom, or just an ear to listen to me vent about my sleepless nights. And without fail, every time I reached out for support, I would see a very noticeable difference in whatever issue I was having within 24 hours. (I think these guys are magicians.)

The best advice I can give? Always know that you are already doing your best by reaching out for support. Don't try and fight the battle of breastfeeding alone in your little cave of pain and torture, we mamas have ALL been there, and you are never alone! Athens is an awesome town for breastfeeding moms, and it is super easy to find support if you look for it! The doulas here are even more awesome because they don't try and take on everything by themselves, they will also help you out by letting you know about other groups and classes that are full of mamas having the exact same issues as you!

Genevieve and Monica - clearly enjoying some sister time.

So, what do you think? If you've breastfed a baby, try to remember back to those early days... the schedule, the discomfort, the steep learning curve. What was helpful to you and helped you push through? What do you think would have been helpful?

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment and share.

Love,
Becca

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The Breastfeeding Check-In...

2/20/2017

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When clicking through the services that are offered at AthensBorn (we fancy ourselves that people do actually click through all the services), you may have noticed the “Breastfeeding Check-In”. You may have also noticed that it’s only available to AthensBorn Labor Doula clients. Why, you ask? Is this just a mildly clever marketing ploy to get people to register for more expensive services? Nope. And, we’re happy to explain the “why” of it all.

Assessing breastfeeding can sometimes be a tricky business and it’s difficult to do it well in just one visit. There are a lot of questions that lactation consultants are considering when deciding what suggestions to make to a breastfeeding parent...pertinent medical history, what was the birth experience like, are there deep feelings or wishes for the breastfeeding relationship, were there complications during pregnancy, is there a partner and/or is that partner supportive of breastfeeding? Those are just a few of the things that are running through my mind when I’m meeting a new breastfeeding family for the first time.

I have tried offering single appointments to breastfeeding families that I’ve never met before and I always come back to the same place...I simply don’t feel like I’m providing the best possible care. One assessment and some recommendations are a good start, but there really needs to be some kind of follow up. Did the suggestions help? A little or a lot? Do the parents still have lingering concerns? Does the baby’s pediatrician have concerns? Often times, the plan needs to be adjusted as the baby grows and we learn more about what’s happening with the breastfeeding couple. And, the lactation consultant is usually choosing words carefully in order to avoid overwhelming new parents with too much information. With the one appointment system, too many families are left feeling like they have unanswered questions and they’re hesitant to spend money on a second appointment or call with concerns. They don’t want to “bother” the lactation consultant when they don’t have an appointment scheduled. This is the crux of the issue.

But...if I have a relationship with a family because we’ve met several times for prenatal visits, they’ve already shared their wishes, their hopes, their history, and I’ve gotten to know them well.

And...they automatically have one postpartum visit already scheduled where my lovely partner or I will be able to lay eyes on them and see how things are going. I trust that they will reach out if they’re struggling because they feel comfortable with us. This makes it possible for me to offer a one-time Breastfeeding Check-In to these families. Because it’s not actually a one-time appointment...it’s part of a longer series.

For families that I haven’t had the privilege of getting to know through prenatal visits, we do offer a two-visit option. These families are invited to book our Early Days at Home Package. There is plenty of time to focus on breastfeeding in these two visits, which usually take place in the first 3-10 days after birth...plus, with this package, we usually manage to fit in some help around the house, assistance with infant care, babywearing, or cloth diapering.

At AthensBorn, we’re proud to offer something for everyone who needs breastfeeding support! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or would like more information. We’re here to serve our families <3

Take care,
Kate

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Breastfeeding & Alphabet Soup

2/3/2017

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The different credentials of breastfeeding supporters can often be confusing to parents. So here at AthensBorn, we wanted to offer some guidelines on deciphering the alphabet soup of lactation. Ok, really we just have one guideline to offer...

ASK.

That’s it! That’s our gem of wisdom. Ask what an individual's accreditation means and what kind of education and training it took to achieve. The reason this is necessary is because the field of lactation support is almost completely unregulated. Any person who wants to can hang up a shingle outside their door and start offering to help breastfeeding parents. New certifying organizations are coming out and each brings their own new credential. It’s great that access to breastfeeding support is increasing, but it can be really confusing for the parent/consumer who’s trying to figure it all out.

It's important to know which support person is the best match for your needs. Here’s a summary to break down the basics of the different types of support, including peer-to-peer, community supporters, and IBCLCs.

Peer to Peer Groups
This is truly the oldest, longest-running kind of support. From the beginning of time, women have supported other women in breastfeeding. Leaders in these groups have personal breastfeeding experience and have spent time with others in their communities, in addition to receiving specialized education and training. These groups are invaluable to new parents and are definitely a great starting point for anyone, regardless of whether or not they’re experiencing problems. Simply being around other new parents can make a world of difference. Great examples of peer to peer support can be found through…

La Leche League
Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association
Breastfeeding USA
WIC Peer Counselors
Milk Junkies

Community Supporters
This is the trickiest group to navigate (as a consumer) since there are so many organizations that hand out their own letters. Some examples you might see are CBS, CLC, CLS. Typically these credentials are earned through a course on lactation-specific topics, consisting of somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 hours. Some are less, some are more. Most of these courses require no personal experience or hands-on training alongside an experienced professional, though some individuals do seek out extra mentoring on their own. Some community supporters may have no letters next to their name, but have gained wisdom and experience through years of hands-on support for others in their communities or through an apprentice model of learning. The bottom line here is there’s really no way to know how much education and training someone in the role of community supporter has without researching the specific organization they trained with. or asking questions. So just ask! Most individuals are happy to share their background, education and training with you! And, if they're not....well, that's sketchy.

IBCLC (Internationally Board-Certified Lactation Consultant)
This is the only international accreditation offered in the field of lactation support on a professional/clinical level. What does this mean for parents? It means....if you are seeing an IBCLC, you can be certain that their education and training included the following:

*Completing 14 specific college/university courses in Health Sciences (from IBLCE.org)

Biology
Human Anatomy
Human Physiology
Infant and Child Growth and Development
Nutrition
Psychology/Counseling/Communication Skills
Introduction to Research
Sociology/Cultural Sensitivity/Anthropology
Basic life support
Medical documentation
Medical terminology
Occupational safety and security for health professionals
Professional ethics for health professionals
Universal safety precautions and infection control

*Completing a minimum of 90 hours of lactation-specific education
*Working between 300-1000 clinical hours (hands-on experience)
*Successfully passing the IBCLC exam

They will also probably have totally buff arm muscles from carrying around approximately 3-5 lbs of study materials everywhere they went for over two years. And, it’s possible they could heat their homes for a full winter by burning old note cards from school. No? Was that just me?

Bottom line is, IBCLC is one credential where you have a baseline understanding of the depth and breadth of the professional’s education and training, no matter where in the world they practice. This is the person you can seek out for any breastfeeding issue, but certainly the one you should seek out for issues that persist, involve complications or concerns about weight gain, or anything that requires close monitoring of your baby.

Local hospitals are often a great place to find skilled IBCLCs and our community is no exception. Of course, we have an IBCLC right here at AthensBorn Birth Services, but we’re also proud to work alongside and learn from other amazing professionals in our community.

See that? A breastfeeding support person to fit every need! Aren’t we lucky to be living here in Athens, GA?

Take care,
Kate

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Postpartum Care in Postmodern Times

2/2/2017

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There are two common questions that postpartum doulas hear in regards to their work…

Question 1: What exactly do you do?
A professional postpartum doula can help ease the anxiety and workload that comes along with the transition following a birth. Doulas provide both emotional support and hands-on help to a family, allowing parents time to bond with baby, snuggle older siblings, and take a refreshing shower or much needed nap. Every family has different needs, but typical duties might include helping a mother with breastfeeding, providing guidance on infant care and postpartum recovery, preparing meals, doing laundry, washing dishes or bottles, running errands and helping care for siblings. A professional doula is knowledgeable about other local services a family may need (support groups, mental health care providers, lactation consultants, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc) and can help with referrals. A doula may come for a few hours during the day or help the family overnight, when needed. She may also spend time with the parents helping them process feelings about their birth, answering questions about physical and emotional changes, and providing encouragement and reassurance that they can handle the new adventures to come.

Question 2: Do people really need that?
Yes. Because times have changed.

Most of the time, I’m grateful to live in this day and age. I like my car, I like my smart phone. I’m a big fan of central heating and cooling. These are all good things. However, postpartum care is one area where a modern attitude may be causing women more harm than good. The days and weeks after the birth of a baby used to be a time of turning inward for a woman. She and her little one would be sheltered by family and friends, safe and warm in a haven away from the outside world, as she settled into parenting and the baby became accustomed to life on the outside. The new parent’s job was to rest, recover, and care for her little one while others tended to siblings and managed other tasks and needs.

But, like many traditions in our society, this one has faded away over time. The postpartum period has now become a time where women are expected to turn outward rather than inward, and they’re expected to do it quickly. Rather than being allowed to focus on baby within the intimate circle of loved ones, society tells new parents to get up, get moving, and get on with life. Friends and family are clamoring for social media updates and photos from the first minutes after baby arrives. The clock starts ticking and the family is sent home just 48 hours after birth…and while baby sees a pediatrician within the first week, the woman doesn’t usually see her healthcare provider for six weeks. Spouses or partners are rarely given more than a couple of days off work and most birthing parents are considered very lucky if given six weeks of unpaid maternity leave.

Parents are expected to do it all on their own these days. Adjust to a completely new life, care for a newborn, master breastfeeding, cook, clean, run errands, walk the dog, entertain visiting family, and do it all while sleep-deprived. And, because we live in a society that loudly praises independence and self-sufficiency, most parents feel like they should be able to do it all.

Sadly, many of them end up enjoying their first few weeks and months as parents much less than they could have, if they’d just had one important thing: Support.

Many people don’t have support systems in place to help them through this time. These days, more and more families are spread across the country or even across the world. Friends may live far away or have demanding jobs and families of their own that prevent them from lending a hand as often as they’d like. So, in these postmodern times, who is caring for a woman as she cares for a baby? It’s a pretty tall order for one partner, not to mention those who are single-parenting, welcoming multiples or premature babies, or recovering from a traumatic or complicated birth. This is why a postpartum doula can be of valuable service to a family. To offer support in a seamless, unobtrusive, non-judgmental way.

All families deserve a gentle transition into their new way of life and a little help as they get their collective feet under them. Hiring a postpartum doula is a gift to a family…the gift of knowledgeable and experienced support, of time, and of peace of mind.

Take care,
Kate

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Can I afford a postpartum doula?

7/20/2016

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AthensBorn Birth Services: The First 40 Years

Hiring a postpartum doula is something that’s sometimes looked at as a luxury. But, ask most parents a little farther down the road and they’ll tell you about the things they wished for most in those earliest newborn days. Support and sleep. Two things that an experienced postpartum doula can offer!

How can I make it happen?

At AthensBorn, most of our clients hire a postpartum doula in one of two ways.

#1- When friends and family members ask what gifts or what kinds of help would be welcomed, these parents express how grateful they would be to receive a contribution to postpartum doula care. If you were to put a postpartum doula package right there on the gift registry for a baby shower, chances are it would not be the most expensive thing on the list and people generally love to contribute to these kinds of services! Becca and I have gone a step further to make this as easy as possible by offering the option to gift services through our website. Friends and family members can choose the services they’d like to gift in whatever amount they prefer and pay directly online. Done! We also provide the option to have a pretty, paper gift certificate mailed for those who wish to have something more personal in hand to give. Everyone likes a little glitter and ribbon from time to time, right? So, having the name and website for a postpartum doula you’d like to work with at the ready when people ask is a great way to start.

#2- Prioritize. Many of our clients simply make postpartum doula care a priority and set aside a small amount of money every month toward their services. It’s important to them to feel supported and cared for in those early days, so they plan ahead and make adjustments where needed. It’s usually not as hard as it might seem. If a family sets aside $15 every month of their pregnancy, they’ll have enough for a helpful postpartum package. Many businesses (including AthensBorn) also offer payment plans.

If you’re not sure if a postpartum doula is the right option for you, ask around among friends and parents in your community. Talk to someone who hired a postpartum doula and find out about their experience. And, as always, we’re happy to answer any questions you have!

Take care,
Kate

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Breastfeeding...do I really need a class?

7/9/2016

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A common question we hear from soon-to-be parents…

“Breastfeeding is natural, so why do I need to take a class?”

Natural? Yes.
Easy? No.

Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most natural things in the world of parenting. It is also a learned skill. When we tell parents that breastfeeding is natural and then offer no further information, we may unintentionally be setting them up with unrealistic expectations. Part of the problem comes from how we use the word “natural” in our language these days. One definition associates the word with something that comes easily or occurs with very little effort.

“She’s a natural.”
“It just came so naturally to him.”

These are things we often say to convey how effortless and enjoyable an experience was. But, breastfeeding is something that is learned with practice. It is definitely natural in that it’s how nature intended us to biologically feed our babies. But, it takes time for both mama and baby to learn how to do it, and it takes a partner time to learn how to best support it.

“My grandmothers never needed to take a breastfeeding class. So, I should be ok without one.”

Oh, so true. And, how we all long for those days of breastfeeding yore. But, here’s the thing. Our grandmothers grew up watching the women in their families and neighborhoods breastfeed. At home, at family potlucks, in each other’s living rooms, babies breastfeeding everywhere. And, just like so many of the things we learn by observing, we pick up helpful information about breastfeeding in the very same way.

As a generation, we have lost this very valuable education. Think of the things we would have learned from watching our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and friends breastfeed their babies…things like the fact that breastfeeding in the early days is done with a ton of pillows and often an extra set of hands (or two). That it’s normal to feel ravenously hungry or suddenly have the thirst of someone who’s crawled through the blazing Sahara when you sit down to nurse your baby. Or that breastfeeding a newborn baby takes an average of 6-7 hours out of every day. That’s a shocker to many parents right there! But, do the math and you’ll see it’s true. The different ways to hold a baby, coax a baby, latch a baby onto the breast...all things we can absorb into our understanding of breastfeeding when given the opportunity to watch and learn from others. But, the main thing that we learn from growing up immersed in a breastfeeding culture is this...we CAN breastfeed. We come from a long line of women who figured it out and therefore we will, too.

Our generation has to learn a little differently, but we are just as capable as our ancestors. While some of us are lucky to have relatives and friends who have nursed their babies and can offer helpful tips and advice, most of us can greatly benefit from an excellent breastfeeding class with a skilled teacher. Having an idea of what breastfeeding may look like can give parents much more confidence when the time arrives. Parents who know what to expect will be less worried that about milk supply, less worried about whether their baby’s eating habits are “normal,” less worried about whether or not it’s taking too long...just less worried, in general. And, who wouldn’t rather be less worried? These parents will also have some tricks to try when they encounter bumps in the road and they’ll know when it’s time to reach out for help.

So embrace the idea of a breastfeeding class! You’ll walk out feeling better prepared and more excited for your journey. And, your helpful and friendly doula should be able to point you in the direction of some great options in your area.

Take care,
Kate

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Breastfeeding: Moving Forward

4/18/2016

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I came across this on Instagram the other day, which is a miracle in and of itself, since I'm not a pro at Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCeXLWoxccZ/

This photographer beautifully captures the last time she nursed her daughter. It can be a heartbreaking moment for a lot of moms - wanting to soak in every second of that last time, not even sure if the last time is the last time, knowing that part of your nurturing is ending and that you and your baby are always, continually moving forward.

With my first child, I got pregnant when she was about 5 or 6 months old (oops) and went back to work full-time the next month (ugh). I pumped at work half-heartedly. I didn’t like pumping at work, it was so awkward. Heck, I didn’t like pumping at home, either. Also awkward. Eventually I just quit pumping, I got more pregnant, and my daughter spent more time away from me than with me. One day when she was around 9 months old, I offered to nurse her… and she refused. I joke that she rejected me, but now that she’s a ginormous 3-year-old who can count, do “crazy trust falls”, put on her own clothes, and speak her mind (often, and loudly), the abrupt end of our breastfeeding relationship breaks my heart. I wish I had seen it coming so I could have done something to prolong it - maybe I could have pumped more? Quit my job? Who knows.

My second child, on the other hand, would have nursed forever. I chose to end our breastfeeding relationship when she was just shy of her second birthday. I remember those final nursing sessions, the intensity and range of my emotions: Impatience. I was ready to be done nursing. Tenderness. I didn’t want her to grow up all of a sudden. Dread. I didn’t want the last time to be the last time yet. Quiet. I would try to nurse her in an otherwise empty room, so I could focus on her little hands, her hair, her closeness. Pain. She was a scratcher, a biter, and was on and off constantly because she was a busy toddler who couldn’t be bothered to sit still and nurse for a full session. Distraction. I had another child to tend to, and a million things to do. Pressure. I heard some negativity from someone close to me about how old my nursing child was. My head and heart were overflowing every time she nursed towards the end.

I try to be conscious of being emotionally and physically connected with my children now that no one is nursing anymore. I have had to work hard at staying close to them without the ease and immediacy of breastfeeding. But I am happy with my decision to stop nursing my younger child, and wistful about the end of my older child’s breastfeeding. There’s truly a lot that goes into it, and into every other milestone you cross together - be it weaning from breastfeeding, bottles, or pacifiers, learning to walk and talk, navigating daycare, work, and playdates, and that's just the early years. I do want you to remember that though you and your child/children are always and continually moving forward, you’re doing it together.

Love,
Becca

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Ramblings & Musings

Breastfeeding & Fertility

Breastfeeding: The "Un"Natural Instinct

Beverly's Story...

The Breastfeeding Check-In...

Breastfeeding & Alphabet Soup

Postpartum Care in Postmodern Times

Can I afford a postpartum doula?

Breastfeeding...do I really need a class?

Breastfeeding: Moving Forward

Kate & Becca

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Ramblings & Musings

Beverly's Story...

Kate & ​Becca

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Kate & Becca