Most moms have it in their plan to breastfeed, but they need to be informed of the physical and emotional roadblock that may lay ahead. Lack of resources and family support in the first few weeks can make breastfeeding challenging for some mothers. Breast-feeding is a learned process for the mom and baby. It requires lots of patience and practice. Moms should take breast-feeding one day at a time. They must be informed of this prior to having the baby so they can be prepared.
Moms should take advantages of meeting with the lactation consultant in the hospital who is readily available to help. A lactation consultant can educate a mother on what to expect the first few weeks. For example a few common concerns or problems mothers will run into are latching issues, slow weight gain for the baby, delay in milk production, and etc. A lactation consultant can help with establishing good breastfeeding practices. Keeping in contact with a lactation consultant in the first few weeks until breast feeding is established can be helpful to be successful with breastfeeding as planned.
Family can support the mother’s decision to breast feed by offering emotional support. For example, families can comfort mothers who are worried if the baby is getting enough or easing frustration as the baby learns to latch properly. Even simply cheering mothers on as they make progress with breastfeeding. Other helpful ways of showing support can be taking care of common house hold chores, errands, or taking care of the baby while the mother rests for some time. Showing support in various ways can help the mother succeed with reaching her goal of breastfeeding. Aiding the new mother in keeping her stress level low can benefit her emotional health, improve her healing process, and help with increasing her milk supply.