#BTColumn – My breastfeeding journey

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Catherine Brown

When I got pregnant, my first inclination was to learn everything about pregnancy and childbirth – I needed to be prepared and do everything to make the most of this wild experience ahead. That I did – I read all the books, did all the exercises, ate the good (and bad, let’s be honest) food, and did all the learning to make sure I was ready. I felt good.

I forgot one big part of the equation – when the baby actually arrives. I somehow did not consider Chapter 2 of this story. I figured it would all somehow come together on its own. And it did, deliriously so.

Here I am with a one-month old thinking, “How did I survive the last four weeks!?” There are many answers to that question. But I am here to focus on infant feeding, a journey in and of itself. Whilst there are valid reasons for formula feeding, the decision rests with the mother to determine what is best for her and her child. With a career in public health research, breastfeeding was my choice.

It is convenient, free, environmentally friendly. It also is precisely formulated to the immediate needs of your infant, increasing specific nutrients and antibodies depending on what he/she needs at the time.

There are many known benefits of breastfeeding. For instance, relative to formula-feeding, valid published research has shown that breastfeeding can reduce allergic reactions, gastro-intestinal disorders and ear infections in infants, and lower the risk of breast cancer in mothers.

Unfortunately, knowing the benefits of breastfeeding is not the same as knowing HOW to breastfeed. Many might think that this natural process that has been around for millennia might be something that you just ‘fall into’. While this might be the case for some lucky ones, many women struggle.

I have learnt over these few weeks that this struggle is entirely normal. Improper latching, pain, and sufficiency of milk production are fears and realities of many new mothers. If they do not know how to correctly initiate and continue breastfeeding, many can become discouraged and give up sooner than they would like. And we already have a lot of other postpartum stressors to have breastfeeding woes added to the list!

The QEH was re-certified in 2017 as a Baby-Friendly Hospital, an initiative created by WHO and UNICEF to promote breastfeeding initiation through their “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” guidelines.

I was happy to see how well staff followed these guidelines. But what happens when you get home and reality kicks in? When hormones are raging, sleep deprivation builds and you are recovering from childbirth? I experienced this myself – poor latch, unbearable pain, and let’s be honest – tears.

My self-education via YouTube videos only went so far. I struggled to know the difference between what was normal from abnormal, and right from wrong. Is this a ‘correct latch’? Is it supposed to feel like this? Is she getting enough milk? Am I feeding her often enough? And getting no more than 3-hour stretches of sleep since birth did not make this any easier. I was relying on friends and family until I reached out to The Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Foundation for help.

I had no idea that there were breastfeeding specialists, nor what they did. And now I am so grateful to have had their help. Their staff shared the knowledge and skills I required on a step-by-step basis.

What I valued most was that it was done with the empathy and patience I absolutely needed at that time. As I write this, I know it is still early in the game, and breastfeeding woes may not be over. However, knowing you have someone in your corner turns this potentially frustrating journey into a positive one.

Despite the availability of resources surrounding breastfeeding, I think that there is a lack of awareness in Barbados.

Perhaps there is also shame in the struggle and an insecurity preventing some from calling upon these resources. We need to promote dialogue and education around breastfeeding in the same way we do for childbirth.

We need to build a stronger network of support to maintain better communication between medical practitioners, mothers, and support services available. For instance, Lamaze class should go hand-in-hand with breastfeeding class. Sure, we can expect breastfeeding might be difficult, but we should not expect it to be a negative experience given the support and tools that exist. It is just a matter of taking advantage of them.

Working with a breastfeeding specialist has been paramount in my journey into motherhood and I cannot underscore more the value in this tool, not only for your mental health and physical well-being, but for your baby’s.

Catherine Brown is a Public Health Research Consultant.