By Randi van Wiltenburg, Owner of Butterfly Baby Doula Services and Infant Feeding Educator
1- I’m bottle feeding—I don’t need any help!
Did you know there is a preferred method of bottle feeding that helps prevent overfeeding your infant? Did you know that oral issues can impact how well a baby feeds at the bottle?
These are just a couple of the things I can assist my clients with.
2- I’m pumping exclusively, so there’s nothing else I need to know.
Pumping is not one-size-fits-all. Aunt Suzy may not have had any issues pumping but maybe you have concerns and questions: How do you choose a pump? How do you know you’re doing it without causing damage? How often or how long should you pump for?
As someone who did pump, having someone who could give me evidence-based information and answers was super helpful.
3- I’m working with an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), and I don’t need any other help.
An IBCLC certification is the highest certification that someone can receive when it comes to breastfeeding. I actually refer clients to them when there is a medical condition or if things are beyond my knowledge. However, the work we do together is complementary. Why have just mashed potatoes when you can have gravy, too?
4- I don’t need to pay someone when there are free breastfeeding clinics.
This absolutely can be a huge factor—not everyone can afford to hire support, and the feeding clinics can be an enormous life saver. However there are downfalls:
- You have to bring your child when they’re hungry.
- The consultants can’t sit and spend hours with you.
- You are not in the comfort of your own home.
- You can’t call or text the consultants any time of day that you’re struggling.
- The consultants don’t follow up with you unless you’ve scheduled it.
5- My baby is older—there’s no helping now.
This is the biggest myth out there: once you have low supply, that’s it. NOT true. There are many things you can do because our bodies are amazing and adaptable. I have assisted in getting full-term babies latched on as old as 4.5 months old!! It’s never too late to get some help.
If you’re having any feeding difficulties or would like to have a prenatal infant feeding workshop reach out to Randi today info@butterflybabydoula.com
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