Page 25 - Baby Society Magazine Issue 30

Sadly, miseducation often leads to unnecessary supplementation due to misconceptions about milk needing to "come in." Colostrum, the early milk should be all that baby needs, coupled with uninterrupted access through frequent skin-to-skin, aids successful breastfeeding. Milk volume increases as we continue to demand it, and it usually starts to increase between days 3-5 postpartum. However, this onset of volume increase is often disrupted by the interventions in birth- inductions, IV fluids, Pitocin, and cesareans have been shown to inadvertently disrupt our body’s transition and ability to increase our milk volume or “milk coming in.”
Like other mammals, newborns come equipped with instinctive reflexes that steer them towards the breast – a trait shared by cats, dogs, or any mammal. Believe it or not, babies do it better than we do! Ensuring skin-to-skin contact and frequent access to the breast during those initial days unleashes these innate reflexes. Consider the devoted mother cat – she never strays far from her kittens and permits them to nurse whenever needed. Embracing this natural pattern is where things often fail, as well. Far too often, babies are swaddled and isolated in distant containers instead of being placed and left on the mother's skin. We are taught to sit upright and “smoosh and shove” the breast into the baby’s mouth, disregarding the infant's own ability. I recommend lying back, putting your baby on your tummy (on their tummy), line them up to your nipple, and see what they can do.
It takes time and patience, but your baby can latch with minimal assistance! We often call this the “breast crawl,” but it is not just useful in the moments after birth, but those first few weeks we are learning to feed with our baby. Embrace your inner momma cat, lay in bed, and practice with your baby!
In harnessing the superpower of breastfeeding, acknowledging our mammalian heritage is key. Aligning with the natural course of pregnancy, birth, and nurturing the instinctive wisdom both mother and baby possess, paves the way for a successful breastfeeding journey. It's time to respect and tap into the timeless art encoded within us – the superpower that transcends species.
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