Breastfeeding is a learned skill and the best way to achieve success is by watching others.If you have been lucky enough to have grown-up in a family where breastfeeding was the norm, it will seem quite natural to you to continue this tradition. However, if you have never seen anyone breastfeeding, this does not mean you will not succeed. What is important, though, is the support you receive from your partner, along with your family, midwife and other health professionals.
Peer support is also important and many peer support groups are cropping up all over the country with excellent support and advice from fellow breastfeeders.
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Your partner can help in many practical ways, like doing chores,cooking meals,keeping visitors to a minimum( in the early days) and letting you rest. Even more importantly, By learning about the benefits to both mother and baby, they can also feel happy in the knowledge that you, as a couple, are giving your baby the best possible start in life. As far as other siblings are concerned, this is the best way to educate a child in the natural art of breastfeeding. They will grow up with the understanding that breastfeeding is the norm. When they become parents, they too will be much more likely to give it a go and in this way, attitudes will gradually change in favour of breastfeeding.
Once you become more confident as a breastfeeder, you will feel happy to feed while out and about with your baby. This, in itself, will promote breastfeeding to the wider community and so continue the 'drip-drip ' effect of education by example. It may take another generation for this message to get through, but hopefully the results will be longterm.
© Sharon Trotter |
