Masochistic Mommy

Most young babies spit up occasionally due to the immaturity of their digestive systems. In fact, more than 50 percent of babies aged three months or younger have at least one episode of reflux per day. This rate peaks at 67 percent at four months old. Often times, when a mother quits breastfeeding, her baby’s reflux worsens . This is hardly surprising, considering that the composition of formula makes it harder to digest. For a lot of babies, the discomfort of reflux is part and parcel of their mother’s decision to quit breastfeeding, and they simply have to endure it. However, the mother in this week’s story was determined that her baby would not suffer any longer. She embarked upon a painstaking journey, using frequent pumping and a supplemental nursing system, to reawaken her breasts. “When I was pregnant I was very ambivalent about breastfeeding, I figured I’d give it a go and if it didn’t work out then that was okay, as formula was just as good. Most of my friends had experience...

Myth: switching from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding will solve reflux. Fact: if you have a baby with reflux, it is still possible to breastfeed, indeed, it is even more important that you breastfeed! A baby with reflux is prone to gastrointestinal problems and because breast milk is designed for human babies and so easily digested, it is the perfect food for a reflux baby. In fact, due to babies’ inability to control the flow of milk from artificial nipples, there is an increased risk that reflux will be worsened with bottle feeding. You are about to read the story of a mother whose baby displayed reflux symptoms from the very start of life. Here, she shares the struggles of public breastfeeding, ambivalent medical professionals, and the helplessness of watching one's baby in chronic pain. She also reveals easy tricks she formulated to ease her baby’s discomfort. “Neve was a 'sicky' baby from the beginning. She also cried a lot for no obvious reason.  At just a few days ol...

When a baby is born early, breastfeeding is arguably the most important thing a mother can do to facilitate survival. Breast milk will help the baby’s vulnerable tummy to mature and fight infection. It is also much easier for the baby's immature stomach to digest than formula. Further, it contains hormones and growth factors that help the baby grow and become stronger. Suffice to say it is therefore of paramount importance that mothers of premature babies are supported to breastfeed. Yet many hospital routines make it difficult for mothers and premature babies to breastfeed successfully. One reason is that many of the ‘techniques’ used to save the lives of premature babies were developed during the 1960’s and 1970’s when breastmilk, never mind breastfeeding, really wasn’t a priority in neonatal intensive care units (NICU’s). Unfortunately, despite much about what we have learned since that time, NICU’s seem to be, in general, with some exceptions of course, resistant to change. Eve...