Expecting a baby and want to breastfeeding, but don't know if you can? You should read this...

On the 3rd November I attended the first Perth Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Expo. I have attended a few expos and markets over the years, and one of the most common lines I hear from expectant mothers is 'well, I don't know if I'll be able to breastfeed yet'.

What I want to shout at them as they walk past is - "YOU PROBABLY CAN BREASTFEED, you just need to learn how it works!" - but I don't want to look like a crazy person 😅

I know that some may choose not to breastfeed, and I respect their choices.  However, I also know that a good portion of parents to be, DO want to breastfeed but unfortunately, they probably do not have all the information they need for a successful (at least a relatively stress-free) journey.

I have been helping support parents to breastfeed their babies for over 7 years (more about me and my qualifications/experience here) and one of the most common things I hear from them is 'I wish I knew this before I had the baby', followed by 'why did no one tell us this before?'.

Breastfeeding is biologically normal - just like the ability to get pregnant, grow a baby, and give birth to that baby, female mammals should also be able to sustain the nutrition of that baby with milk from their mammary glands (aka 'breasts' in humans) from birth until weaning.

Sure, there may be some individuals who have issues, which is why we have procedures like IVF and caesarean sections, and it is great that we have access in Australia to commercial formula that is nutritious and safe, but overall, the majority of human females should be able to breastfeed as nature intended.

In fact, according to The World Health Organisation, 70% of mothers and babies worldwide CAN exclusively breastfeed to 6 months of age.  Various sources say that 85-95% of mothers can make enough milk. 

In Australia up to 95-97% of mothers start breastfeeding in hospital, but only 15-37% of babies are exclusively breastfed to 6 months (depending what statistics you look at). So, are Australian mothers more 'broken' than others around the world?

Absolutely not!

The most common reason mothers stop breastfeeding is due to perceived low supply.  And up to 80% of mother regret their decision to stop, saying they only did so because they felt unsupported and ill informed.

Think of it like swimming. Imagine never seeing a pool or the ocean, so you never learn how to swim. You know swimming exists and that humans can do it.  You've heard some people love it and say how easy it is, because it is a 'natural' thing to do, and you think you might like to try it one day.  But it also appears that a lot of people don't enjoy it and do not know how to do it, so they don't. Then one day, you come across a pool and decide to jump in at the deep end. Except you've never learned how to tread water, hold your breath underwater, float on your back, or kick your legs and move your arms to go anywhere. You see others struggling and being rescued and pulled from the water, so you think that might be your only option.

But what if you could learn how it all works before you need to jump in at the deep end (i.e., before the baby is born)? True, you'll never really know what it's like to not be able to touch the bottom with your head out of the water, but there are some basic skills you can learn before you need to get there.

"Up to 80% of mothers who stop breastfeeding before 6 months regret their decision and say they only did so because they felt unsupported and/or ill-informed"

Health professionals often exclaim about how beneficial breastfeeding is, yet even they may not really understand how it is all meant to work - I know I didn't.  I had worked in NICU since 2007, and had been a midwife for 2 years before my daughter was born in March 2014.  I thought if I gave birth with no issues, and just tried hard enough, it would all just fall into place.  Except it didn't.  And I believe my daughter was sent to me to teach me this lesson, and so that I could then help others not have the same issues I did.

I now know that I had never truly learnt how breastfeeding worked - I had seen some manage to do it, but I had also seen more struggle and thought that was 'normal'.  But common does not mean normal.

In a study I've just completed the main areas mothers wanted more support with was latching and recognising hunger cues. So basically, breastfeeding - how to feed the baby and when to feed them.

I became an IBCLC in 2018.  Since then, I have seen between 150 and 180 clients each year, and the vast majority of them have not been taught how breastfeeding actually works. 

Unfortunately, in our time of social media, more misinformation about breastfeeding and normal newborn behaviour exists than correct information.

This is why I developed my 'Newborn and Breastfeeding Preparation Class' - a 2hr session to go through the basics of breastfeeding based on the most common information my clients seem to need to know.  

The information includes - latching, milk supply, how to know baby is getting enough, understanding newborn behaviour (ie what is normal and what is not), some tips for post birth, understanding infant sleep, where to get help, and more.

The price is $70/couple (a 'couple' includes the mother to be and a support person).  Alternatively, I can do private sessions in your home for $150.  Private sessions may be eligible for Medicare rebates.  If you require assistance after the baby is born, I only charge my follow up rate of $100/hr, which is eligible for Medicare rebates up to 6 weeks post birth. 

More information about the class is available here.

Private sessions to discuss specific breastfeeding concerns during pregnancy are also available, as well as post-birth assistance - www.cherishedparenting.com.au/lactation-consultant-perth

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions

*The WHO Infant Feeding Guidelines state that infants should be exclusively breastfed up to 6 months of age - ie no other food or drink unless medically necessary (this includes, but is not limited to, water, vitamins, any other milks or drinks, etc). Then family foods can be introduced, with the continuation of breastfeeding up to 2 years, and beyond for as long as mother and child desire.