Masochistic Mommy

Parents and physicians alike are torn on the issue of how, and indeed if, hospital interventions have a detrimental impact upon maternal and child welfare. Medical procedures, for instance, labor inductions, epidurals and circumcisions, as well as the introduction of man-made devices such as nipple shields and bottles of formula, have all been linked to breastfeeding failure. They certainly didn’t help this week’s mom, Rebecca, on her quest for success. Indeed, opposers of home births would be wise to read the following story. Whilst it certainly does not reflect all cases, Rebecca’s story illustrates how the hospital environment and its inhabitants, often work together to undermine a mother’s breastfeeding efforts. “I'm lucky that in my circle of friends and acquaintances, there are dozens of mothers who have nursed their babies.  When I was pregnant, I'd see my friends nursing their babies, and I assumed that of course I would breastfeed, that's just what people do!  I wa...

Women’s nipples come in many shapes and sizes. But can a woman ever have the 'wrong sort' of nipples for breastfeeding? Whilst it is true that babies breastfeed rather than "nipple-feed", sometimes the shape of a woman's nipples can make it more difficult for her baby to nurse. In order for him to feed effectively, the baby must be able to grasp the nipple and stretch it forward and upward against the roof of his mouth. If he is unable to do this effectively, perhaps because the mother has flat or inverted nipples, the consequence can be prejudicial to both mom and baby, as this mom discovered the hard way... You are about to read the story of a new mother whom, unbeknown to her, had severely flattened nipples. It took a catalogue of medical malpractice, a battle with self-centered relatives, and a speedy trip to ER before she discovered the root cause of all her problems. “ Growing up I'd never seen breastfeeding. The first time I saw a human breastfeed I w...

Pacifiers and nipple shields have a bad rap, and rightly so . However if used sparingly, and no earlier than 4 weeks, they can act as transitory crutches, enabling mothers to breastfeed for longer. In fact, if a mother is set on using interventions, then pacifiers and nipple shields are more compatible with breastfeeding than formula top ups. This week’s triumphant mom found breastfeeding to be a turbulent journey. When a bad latch led to severe nipple damage, she hesitantly introduced a pacifier and nipple shield to provide temporary respite from the pain. “ My pregnancy was problem-free.  I travelled, I studied, I worked, I rested as I needed and took a pregnancy multi-vitamin.  My due date according to last menstruation (and a clockwork 28 day cycle) was February 9th.  The 12 week ultrasound said 14th February.   I did not put on any weight during my pregnancy (which given my high BMI, was never an issue) and I ‘passed’ all the tests with flying colours.  M...

Human milk is the most natural and physiologic substance that a baby can ingest. If a baby shows allergic sensitivities related to breastfeeding, it is usually a foreign protein that has piggybacked into mother's milk, and not the milk itself. Yet many mothers (and more worryingly, health professionals) believe that if a baby has an allergy the only remedy is to switch to hypoallergenic formula. This is grossly untrue. In such circumstances, mothers do not need to reach for the bottle - they just need to take a break from eating or drinking things containing the offending protein for a while. Allergy is certainly no reason to wean - it simply requires an investment of effort from the mother. And every baby is worth that, right? This mother thinks so. When her baby became seriously ill it was discovered that he had multiple allergies, requiring a complete overhaul of his mom's diet! Could she deal with this whilst also battling recurring mastitis, aggressive oversupply, and a ...