There are a lot of myths out there surrounding breastfeeding after the baby is born. Some women believe they will not bond with their baby if they don’t do it. Some feel like a failure if they are unable to nurse their baby whether the problem is related to lactation or the baby simply can’t latch.
When my daughter was born, I wanted to breastfeed. I’d spoken to a lactation specialist ahead of time and a nurse assisted me in the hospital. The nurse who helped was a very cool and efficient woman who seemed to be pressed for time when I tried to ask questions. My daughter simply couldn’t latch. The nurse made me feel like I was doing something wrong. She actually manhandled me to show me how to get the baby to latch, but my daughter still couldn’t seem to do it.
Hours past and she was so hungry, I asked for a bottle, but the nurse dismissed the request because I supposedly wanted to breast feed the baby. I couldn’t confuse the baby with a bottle. I just had to give her time to latch and hunger would drive her there.
My daughter was born at 7 in the morning, by 7 in the evening; I was at the end of my rope. I called my daughter’s pediatrician and they made a special visit in to see me. I told her I wanted to bottle feed the baby and keep trying to get her to latch, but she was so hungry. The doctor was askance that I’d been made to feel like an idiot for even considering it.
Personally, I hope the nurse was reprimanded but I never did see her again. As it was I was able to give my daughter a bottle and several hours after her arrival, she had a full tummy and slept for a while. She never did learn to latch, but I used a breast pump and provided her with breast milk that way.
The benefits of breast milk are that it provides vitamins and minerals that can’t be duplicated. Breastfed babies are less prone to infections and respiratory infections. There are no real major costs associated with breastfeeding and very little need to be ‘prepared’. If your baby can latch, you don’t have to go through the pain of washing and sterilizing bottles and nipples. Nighttime feedings are easier because you just have to lift the baby into bed with you and let them nurse while you snuggle back down in the blankets.
For moms, breastfeeding returns your body to its normal shape faster as it shrinks the uterus back to normal size. Breast milk fed babies are also more likely to enjoy a wide variety of foods, as they get older. Breast milk can actually be ‘flavored’ for the baby because it based on what you eat.
There are cons to breast-feeding as well and it’s not for every one. If you elect to not breastfeed for whatever reason (personal preference, baby can’t latch, you don’t produce enough milk, you have to take medication) don’t kick yourself about it. As long as your baby is provided with love, support, caring and nurturing as well as food, they will not be harmed by not being breast-fed.