Supporting Breastfeeding Mothers

Breastfeeding a newborn is not always easy. I like to describe breastfeeding as a journey. There are often bumps along the way, but with the proper guidance and support, the journey can be seamless and smooth. A large part of what I do as a Lactation Consultant involves teaching, guiding, sharing, and demonstrating. But above all, the most important part of my job is supporting.

Most of the mothers I work with experience challenges with position and latch, sore nipples, low milk supply, overactive milk supply, tongue tie, and feeding multiple babies. My clients tell me all the time they didn’t realize breastfeeding was so hard and thought their babies would just know how to latch. I try to reassure them that they are not alone in these struggles....and this is why I have a job because most new mothers struggle with breastfeeding in the first 6 weeks postpartum.

When you are a new mother, you don’t realize that even though your story and experiences are unique, there are many other mothers going through much the same. I find it challenging to prepare yourself for breastfeeding when you are pregnant. You can read books, look at pictures, videos, observe others feed their babies, but until you are going through it yourself, you don’t quite know what to expect and what your journey is going to be like.

Yes, there are some moms who give birth and their baby instantly latches on and their journey begins smoothly. But for a lot of new mothers, a breastfeeding challenge presents! Most of the time when I work with a family, I can successfully help a mom figure out what is causing her breastfeeding issue(s). But sometimes, there is no quick fix and to be honest, it usually takes a few weeks before most issues are resolved. We often say in the breastfeeding world, “Give it until 6 weeks, then your breastfeeding issues will be over!”

There are times when you fix one breastfeeding issue and no sooner does another one present!! This is just the nature of breastfeeding....always evolving, never quite staying consistent for too long. If you find that your breastfeeding journey has gotten off to a rocky start, don’t wait for things to magically improve. Make an appointment with a lactation consultant sooner rather than later. Trust me, most of the clients I see could have used my services 24 hours earlier!!

As women, we naturally put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We want to be the best mothers and do what’s best for our babies. No mother wants to see herself as having failed or feel that she can’t provide the basic sustenance of life for her infant. But yet so many mothers feel this way. When a mother expresses to me her feelings of guilt and failure, I reassure her that she is doing the best she can RIGHT NOW and that’s all she needs to focus on. She needs to take it feed-by-feed and day-by-day. One of the complementary services I provide my clients is phone/text/e-mail support. It makes a world of difference to a new mom to have a reliable professional touch point such as myself to contact in those moments of struggle and worry.

Post-Partum mom life is hard. You are sleep deprived, uncomfortable, hormonal, and now trying to figure out how to nourish your new little snuggle bug who has suddenly taken over your life.....and your heart. As a Lactation Consultant, I can provide support, guidance, warmth, and education. I can watch baby feed and create a workable plan so a mother feels confident in knowing what to do step by step along her journey. I ensure she is listened to and that her needs are met. If the plan I create doesn’t work for everyone in the home it’s not gonna work PERIOD!

Even when the latch is comfortable, baby is gulping milk and all appears to be on track mothers will contact me to come to their homes for a feeding assessment and provide reassurance and instill the confidence needed to continue successfully breastfeeding. I am always more than happy to do so as I realize the importance of supporting a mother through her breastfeeding journey. We all want to be heard, and make sure we are doing everything right in order to have a successful breastfeeding relationship.

This is why I truly love my job. I get to be a cheerleader for new mothers. When I see the happiness and relief on her face and often on her partner’s face, it truly brings me joy. Having an educated, experienced, breastfeeding professional answer your questions and guide you through some very challenging times is so beneficial for the breastfeeding dyad.

Now let’s get real for a moment. There are many times when it’s not all smiles and sighs of relief. There are times when things are not going well and breastfeeding really sucks. There are times when your baby is not latching comfortably or your milk supply is low. This is when you need to reach out to a lactation consultant for professional guidance and support.

In these instances I can honestly come to the rescue, (just read my client testimonials and 5 star google reviews!!) share my knowledge and experiences and assist in the home as needed to get breastfeeding on track for both mom and baby.

It truly makes me sad to see my clients experience the bumpy road of breastfeeding. The moms I work with are so dedicated and will persevere through almost anything to ensure their babies are breastfed. But sometimes the price they pay by having their physical and mental health suffer is not worth it. There are always options. If feeding directly from the breast isn’t working, pumping and bottle feeding your breast milk is feeding too! Bottom line, it is still your breast milk and you are still nourishing your baby.

Supporting a breastfeeding mother also means respecting whatever decision she makes regarding her breastfeeding journey. Clients will ask me, ‘when do I know if this is not working? When do I decide to keep at it or quit?’ My answer is usually the following, ‘You will know in your heart when it’s time and when that time comes, there is no right or wrong, it’s what works best for you and your family ’

My role as a Lactation Consultant is to educate, empower, and support. I do not stand in judgement or ever tell a mom what is the ‘right’ thing to do. Only she knows that. And for all her efforts, trials and tribulations I know she will make the best decision on how to feed her baby. I want a mother to feel secure with her decision and let those feelings of guilt and failure go. This is a lot easier said than done. Some mothers never get over a breastfeeding journey gone wrong and it can scar them if and when they have another baby and decide to breastfeed.

My second daughter, Alyssa self-weaned at 9 months. I was devastated when this happened. I tried my very best to continue breastfeeding her but she just refused. I had feelings of rejection and ohhhh the guilt that I wasn’t going to breastfeed for the entire first year of her life! And here I am a LACTATION CONSULTANT and I couldn’t figure out why my baby refused to nurse?

I’m sure I cried almost every day for a week. Eventually, I began to accept that our breastfeeding journey had come to an end. I decided to continue pumping and give her my expressed milk in a bottle. I had found a new way to make it work, and I was okay with that.

Without support in the breastfeeding world from lactation professionals such as myself, I know our breastfeeding rates would plummet. As a dedicated health care professional and mother, I realize the importance of lactation support and being able to provide compassion, care, and empathetic listening along every step of the motherhood journey No other time in a woman’s life is as challenging as becoming a mother. To empower a mother with knowledge and support her through her beautiful journey of breastfeeding is a gift I am given every day, and for that I am grateful.

Happy Breastfeeding!!!

Bio

About Leanne: Leanne graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2000. She developed a passion for Breastfeeding when working as a Post Partum Nurse shortly after graduation. She became an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2007 and founded Nourish Lactation Consulting in 2008. She could see from working within the hospital setting there was a need for additional in-home support for breastfeeding mothers. So NLC was established and it has become Calgary’s premier choice for in-home breastfeeding support and education.

Leanne has 3 beautiful daughters. Kayla, Alyssa, & Maya. She breastfed all 3 of them and had major challenges. Leanne truly feels that her own personal experiences have taught her to better support mothers, babies, and families she works with. Her passion is palpable, her experience extensive, and her support unparalleled.