Meet Diane Bahr, She wrote the book every new mother to be needs to read!
Nobody Ever Told Me (Or My Mother) That!
Everything from Bottles and Breathing to Healthy Speech Development fills a missing niche in the child rearing world. It explains everything from the basics of nursing, to SIDS, to facial massage; finishing with the secrets to good speech development and your child's best natural appearance. Written by an SLP with over 30 years experience, this book is a wealth of necessary information for any new parent.
I'm no breastfeeding expert... the only experience I can share with you is my own in which I breastfeed my little girl till she reached 13 Months of age!
Great work to me!
I struggled with the concept from day one, I guess all of my focus was on the delivery and I just imagined everything after that would fall into place.
I was wrong.. the hard work had just began.
I am the kind of person that tries really hard at everything I do! I hate being told what to do and I had added pressure, I always put enough on myself.
When it came to time to breastfeed, It was embarrassing I had a crowd of on lookers and I had absolutely no idea how to do it or what I could expect.
I had pressure coming from my husband and a team of contradictory midwifes {all experts} poking me, pushing me and squeezing the life out of my boobs trying to get that liquid gold to appear.
It wasn't helping and wasn't working! I was exhausted, traumatised from the Labor and need a little time alone to think and work it all out.
By day 3 not much had changed really, the pressure was on and my little one hadn't gained weight instead she had lost it and I was desperate!
I begged the nurse to let me offer my little one some formular and after hours of debate and lots of paper work I signed my life away.
What a relief!
It gave me time to know my baby had food in her tummy and for me to re-group and try again.
I continued this for a few months at home too which meant my husband could do a feed and I could actually get a little sleep to help contain my emotional distress.
It took around 5 Months for my milk to come in... Yes 5 Months to get it right, 5 months to feel like I actually knew what I was doing and my baby knew what she was doing!
Breastfeeding is like learning to fly a plane, It takes lots of practice and a few crashes to get in the air.
I also tell my friends its the hardest thing they will ever do!
When you start its like buying the most expensive fabulous shoes you will ever purchase and like any new pair of shoes they will take time to be worn in and it will hurt for a while but once they are worn in, you will never want to take them off.
I can't say I loved breastfeeding but It was duty to my child. My very first parenting sacrifice and it was a gift I owed her.
It was time to grow up and understand my role as a parent and to put someone before myself.
I am so proud of myself for that!
The most helpful hints to date I have found are having a routine.
I study was done with dairy cows that found if farmers milk them the same time everyday they get the most milk out of them. The body knows when to produce milk and it reduces your milk loss.
I remember standing in the show with Milk spraying everywhere and my husband screaming "save the milk"
Tizzie Halls Save Our Sleep Book is the best place to start, she explains how to bring your milk on with a routine.
I just love Diane Bahr Approach too, she explains breastfeeding and how it actually all works, so when we are empowered with knowledge we succeed.
AUSTRALIAN BREASTFEED REALITY
Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010 - 2015Antenatal Stage
This is the preparatory stage for breastfeeding and includes developing knowledge, commitment and support networks. The development of a commitment to breastfeeding includes viewing breastfeeding as the biological and social norm for infant and young child feeding. Attitudes are formed from childhood and can change through to parenthood. Antenatal promotion and education play a large role in informing mothers and families about breastfeeding. The extent to which a mother commits to breastfeed at this point can impact on the duration of breastfeeding (Shealy et al. 2005). The goal is to enable mothers to understand the value of breastfeeding and to breastfeed successfully by equipping them with knowledge and establishing or consolidating their support networks.
Immediate postnatal (birth to four days)
This is when mothers begin breastfeeding. Approximately 92 per cent of Australian babies are breastfed at birth (AIFS 2008). Mother and baby’s experiences in birthing services, and the feeding practices encouraged there affect the establishment of breastfeeding. Medications and procedures administered during labour can affect the baby’s behaviour at the time of birth, which can impact on the ability to breastfeed. Placing babies in skin to skin contact with their mothers immediately following birth and encouraging mothers to recognise when their babies are ready to breastfeed helps to establish the breastfeeding relationship (WHO 2009). Mothers who room-in with their babies have more opportunities to practice breastfeeding because of the infant’s proximity (Shealy et al. 2005).
Medium postnatal (four days to eight weeks)
By one week of age, the rate of full breastfeeding drops to 80 per cent. At one month only 71 per cent are fully breastfed, another 11 per cent receive a combination of breast milk and infant formula, 18 per cent receive formula only (AIFS 2008). Many mothers are reliant on their social networks after returning home from birthing services. These social networks can be highly influential in many of the decision making processes associated with raising a baby. Lay advice and support can either act as a barrier to or provide encouragement for breastfeeding (McLorg and Bryant 1995). New mothers’ preferred resource for concerns about child rearing is often other mothers (Shields 2004).
Long postnatal (eight weeks to six months and beyond)
At four months, approximately 46 per cent of Australian infants are fully breastfed, noting that at five months, this rate has dropped to 28 per cent. By six months, around the time when the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend introducing solid foods, a total of 56 per cent are still receiving at least some breast milk and 14 per cent are fully breastfeeding (NHMRC 2003, AIFS 2008, Baxter 2008). Efforts to extend breastfeeding during the long postnatal stage include the continuation of health professional and peer support, and the creation of enabling breastfeeding friendly environments in a range of settings including workplaces, child care and public spaces, and the broader community.
