Breastfeeding: Is It Right For You?
One of the most important decisions you'll have to make as an expectant mom is one of the most basic: how to feed your baby. Women weighing the breast or bottle question no doubt have heard the many benefits of breast milk - it's got just the right nutrients for proper brain development, it's always served at the right temperature, it doesn't cost $1300-$4000 a year (depending on the type of formula used), and it helps guard against everything from allergies and infections to diarrhea and childhood obesity.
"I don't think man is ever going to make something equivalent to breast milk," said Heidi Swanson, M.D., an Allegheny General Hospital pediatrician and certified lactation consultant who has breastfed each of her seven children. "It's like a wonder tonic. Breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do to help ensure a healthy start for your baby."
About 99 percent of new moms are physically able to breastfeed. So why aren't more doing it? One of the biggest barriers to breastfeeding is misinformation, according to Julie Brown and Pat Connolly, certified lactation consultants at AGH who counsel women on breastfeeding and help them start and maintain the process. They address some of the main concerns expectant moms have when they're considering breast over bottle.
1. "I'll be going back to work."
Breastfeeding is still an option when you return to work or school. "You can learn to pump or express your milk and put it in a bottle," Ms. Brown said. "Then a caregiver can feed your baby your breast milk while you're at work. It's not an all-or-nothing situation." Also, you can train your body not to make milk during the day -- making it easier for you to continue breastfeeding, even if you're supplementing with formula. And more workplaces are adopting employee-friendly policies that make it easier for women to pump at work.
2. "I'm afraid I won't be able to produce enough milk."
Only about 2 percent of women are physicially unable to breastfeed because of abnormal breast development, serious illness or a treatment regimen that involves chemotherapy. And breast size has nothing to do with how much milk you'll have -- the more the baby nurses, the more milk you'll produce. A recent study showed that most moms can meet all of a child's nutritional needs with breast milk until 6 months, when solid foods are gradually added to the diet.
Lactation consultants at AGH spend a lot of time with breastfeeding moms before they leave the hospital, educating you about what to watch for if you suspect your baby isn't consuming enough milk -- such as baby's weight gain, the number of wet or soiled diapers and the baby's temperament.
3. "I will feel tied down."
Actually, breastfeeding is more convenient -- there's no fussing with bottles, nipples, measuring or warming formula. As breastfeeding is becoming more socially acceptable, and even expected, more women are becoming comfortable discreetly nursing in public. "Plus, more shopping malls, entertainment attractions and other public places are making it easier by adding designated nursing rooms or lounges for women to take a break to breastfeed while they're out," Ms. Brown said.
4. "I can't breastfeed for the recommended year."
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that moms breastfeed for at least one year to provide the most benefits, any length of time is better than not doing it at all, according to Dr. Swanson. "I tell mothers who don't think they can make the year commitment that breastfeeding exclusively for only a short time can give their babies antibodies to fight disease that no formula can." In fact, some of the most nutritious breast milk comes in the form of colostrum, produced immediately after delivery and chock full of vitamins, proteins and antibodies.
Ms. Brown pointed out that women who choose to breastfeed should do so exclusively for the baby's first three weeks before introducing a bottle or formula . This helps set a breastfeeding pattern for the baby, ensures the production of a good milk supply and avoids nipple confusion.
5. "It will hurt."
Breastfeeding may be natural, but it's a learned skill. It isn't painful if you learn how to get your baby "latched on" to your breast correctly. "We recommend that women take a breastfeeding class before the baby is born to prepare themselves and learn more about correct positioning early," Ms. Connolly said.
Allegheny General Hospital, West Penn Hospital and West Penn Hospital, Forbes Regional Campus all offer breastfeeding classes. To register, call 1-877-284-2000.
At AGH, outpatient consultations before or after delivery also are provided; call (412)359-6775.
Last Updated: February 09, 2009
