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Build Your Support Network
Don't rely on strictly book knowledge or online resources. Making connections with other breastfeeding mothers is essential to establish a lifeline of support for your early postpartum period.
Before conceiving my first child, I spent hours online and reading books about pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. I had never actually seen anyone breastfeed, but I had played with dolls as a child, and I believed that I would instinctively know how to hold, feed and care for a baby. I was a smart, savvy woman with a successful career, how hard could this really be? I now understand that the real knowledge of how to breastfeed and care for a newborn is not just gained from reading a book, but is passed from one mother to another.
There is a deep instinctual knowledge that we, as women, can call upon, but new mothers often struggle with the practical application of this knowledge. In most cultures, new mothers learn these essential skills from other experienced mothers. Many of our own mothers did not breastfeed – resulting in a generational gap in breastfeeding know-how. Add geographic separation, common in many extended families, and overall new mothers are often isolated in our society.
Try to connect with experienced mothers in your local community. Mother's groups, La Leche League groups, and lactation professionals are all good resources. |
