Educating Yourself About Breast Feeding

Like most things the more knowledgeable you are about a topic the better you will be at performing a task or making good decisions concerning the topic. Breastfeeding is no different. The more...

Like most things the more knowledgeable you are about a topic the better you will be at performing a task or making good decisions concerning the topic. Breastfeeding is no different. The more knowledge you have about the topic the better you will be when it comes to deciding about whether to breast-feed or bottle-feed your infant. The more knowledge you have about the topic of breastfeeding the better able you are to make decisions about breastfeeding or pumping at work, knowing how to breastfeed properly to avoid breastfeeding problems and the better equipped you will be to handle things like how to pump and still work 9 to 5, how to handle visitation or custody issues when you are not awarded custody but still desire to breastfeed. The more knowledge you have about breastfeeding the better prepared you will be to face breastfeeding challenges.

There are many places to receive an education on breast-feeding including your local library or bookstore, a local chapter of the La Leche League, Websites specifically set up to educate women regarding breastfeeding issues, a lactation specialist working at your doctor’s office, or at your local hospital, and local and online forums with members that are other breastfeeding moms who offer advice and tips that help new breastfeeding moms to feel at home with the idea of breastfeeding.

Sometimes it helps to have an anatomy lesson regarding the breast and breast structures and their function. It may be helpful to learn about the different hormones and the roles they play in breastfeeding, hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, prolactin and oxytocin.

It is also very helpful if a lactation specialist can show you how to breastfeed, and how to position the baby. There are many breastfeeding positions to place the baby in while nursing.

Make sure that if you do encounter challenges or problems while breast-feeding that you do not hesitate to get help quickly from your doctor, nurse, lactation consultant or expert, local offices of La Leche League or other breastfeeding support group or person. Sometimes just having a neighbor, friend or family member around who has also nursed a baby can be of great comfort and a good source of support and fountain of information about how to successfully breastfeed.

There are many federal organizations that make breastfeeding information available to the general public such as:

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, HHS (USA)

The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, MCHB, HRSA, HHS (USA)

Womenshealth.gov, OWH, HHS (USA)

Other sources of information regarding breastfeeding can be found at:

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the Familydoctor.org, The International Lactation consultant Association (ILCA), the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, the Wellstart International and also the World Alliance For Breastfeeding Action.

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