There are so many new things to learn and decisions to make when you become a mother. It can be a difficult transition. There is also no easy choice when it comes to deciding whether to bottle feed or breastfeed. However, there are many ways you can learn how to support a breastfeeding mom.
With breastfeeding, support is critical as it can be a difficult routine to establish with your baby. In fact, many new moms face breastfeeding challenges.
Mandy Schaub, a lactation consultant at Bon Secours St. Francis Eastside, shares that “there are pros and cons to both. However, I’m always sad when moms who struggle to breastfeed end up feeling defeated when they need to use formula. Being a new mom is tough and can be full of self-doubt in a lot of areas.”
What are the challenges breastfeeding moms face?
Challenges with breastfeeding are as unique as the babies involved. These challenges can be tangible, such as latching, or intangible, like stress.
Physical issues
One physiological challenge is called ankyloglossia, or “tongue-tie.” This can make latching difficult for an infant because it limits the tongue’s range of motion. Birth trauma or a cleft palate can create these structural challenges.
Another physiological challenge, while rare, is insufficient glandular tissue. A mother with inverted or flat nipples might take a while to draw the nipple out. But they usually can by pumping or using a breast shield.
There are many other challenges to consider as well, such as that a mother’s milk supply may not be strong or a baby’s latch isn’t good. This can make nursing painful. Stress from these challenges can also reduce a mom’s milk supply.
Breastfeeding moms are also prone to developing mastitis, which is inflammation of the breast tissue that causes it to become swollen, hot and painful. Not only does mastitis make mom feel uncomfortable and unwell, but it can also affect how much milk a baby can get during a breastfeeding session.
Emotional challenges
The breastfeeding journey can be rewarding but also stressful and difficult. Outside of the physical challenges that can come with breastfeeding, there’s also the mental and emotional duress that moms deal with.
Tracking how much and how often a baby eats can easily stress mom out. Difficulties such as monitoring milk supply, latching, drinking enough water, potential allergies or intolerances the baby might have, eliminating certain foods from your diet, pumping when not nursing and hormone fluctuations all add up. This can lead to developing postpartum depression.
Tips for how to support a breastfeeding mom
Supporting mom is critical, especially when it comes to breastfeeding. Knowing how to support a breastfeeding mom can make a huge difference in her experience. This support needs to come from both inside and outside your household.
“Support for all moms is so important, and when it is lacking can make a tough situation worse,” Mandy says. “I try to focus on how being a mom is so much more than just a feeding choice and how much their baby knows they love them.”
You can support a breastfeeding partner in many ways. Breastfeeding can be physically taxing because it’s a lot of work for the body to produce milk, and moms who breastfeed spend a lot of time either nursing or pumping. Give mom time to rest and recover by:
- Washing pump parts after pumping
- Handling more of the household tasks to reduce her mental and physical workload
- Checking in on how mom feels emotionally
You can also be part of the breastfeeding process, even if you’re not the one doing the actual feeding. Taking on some of the non-feeding work, such as looking for hunger cues or burping the baby after they eat, not only helps you bond with the baby but also gives mom some time to recharge. This is something that partners, grandparents, friends and other relatives can do to support parents, especially in the early days.
“With the right support, most moms go on to have a very satisfying breastfeeding experience and learn to define their breastfeeding success in different ways,” Mandy says. “Moms need lots of praise for all they are doing right!”
How we can help
The newborn stage is often a blur of little sleep, changing diapers and tracking when your baby eats. Breastfeeding is a natural process, but it’s a new skill that is different with every baby. If you are planning to breastfeed, consider taking a breastfeeding class before your baby arrives so you’re equipped with the tools and knowledge to get started. Once the baby is here, you can also see a lactation consultant to troubleshoot any issues you may be experiencing.
We recognize the importance of finding new ways that we can support breastfeeding moms. We teamed up with the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in 2018 to open South Carolina’s first arena-based nursing suite (pictured above). The area is large enough to accommodate two nursing mothers, providing both comfort and privacy to nurse. In some cases, the event is played on a TV in the suite, so moms don’t have to miss a minute of the action.
At the end of the day, feeding your baby formula is perfectly healthy. There are any number of reasons why breastfeeding may not work or may not be right for moms. Whether a mom breastfeeds or bottle feeds, meeting moms where they are and helping them feed their babies in a way that makes the most sense for them is critical.
Learn about the maternity and birthing care services we offer at Bon Secours.
