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New Parent News
as published in the Times Herald Record
The decision to breastfeed your baby should be an easy one as the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life. Studies have shown that breastfed babies have less ear, respiratory, urinary tract infections, and allergies, as well as less diarrhea, all of which will save you and your baby a trip to the doctor.
 Not to mention the convenience of breastfeeding - no bottles to make in the middle of the night or lug around with you and no formula to buy because breast milk is FREE. Okay, so when your baby is born, you will breastfeed him or her. Easy as that, right? Well, not quite. Chances are if you were not breastfed yourself or the women in your community do not breastfeed, you might have no idea how to breastfeed your baby, even though your body is ready, willing, and able. So where do you go for information on how to breastfeed your baby?
- Attend a La Leche League (LLL) meeting while you are still pregnant. These meetings are run by trained volunteers and offer a place for expectant and breastfeeding mothers to go and ask questions, discuss concerns, and just observe other breastfeeding mothers. You will have access to their lending library, too. To find a meeting near you, call 1-800-laleche or visit www.lalecheleague.org.
- Your local W.I.C. clinic provides support for breastfeeding, too. Be sure to speak with the breastfeeding coordinator during your prenatal visits. Visit the New York State WIC Breastfeeding Promotion website at www.breastfeedingpartners.org.
- Every hospital must have a lactation coordinator on staff, preferably someone who is an I.B.C.L.C (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) – be sure to meet with her before you take your baby home. Successful breastfeeding starts at birth and it will be helpful for you to have someone trained in breastfeeding to get you and your baby started out right.
- Check with your pediatrician and be sure that they support your decision to breastfeed.
So you and your baby got the hang of breastfeeding, but now its time to go back to work. Now what? Juggling breastfeeding and working can be challenging, but stick with it for the health of you and your baby. With proper planning, returning to work can be a smooth transition.
- Talk with your boss before you go on maternity leave and let them know you will be breastfeeding. Find out what accommodations they have, such as a clean, private place for you to express your milk. Remind your boss that breastfed babies get sick less often, therefore, you will miss work less often.
 Buy or rent a good pump, or learn how to hand-express. Ask a lactation consultant or some of the moms at the LLL meetings what worked best for them.
 Read "Nursing Mother, Working Mother," by Gale Pryor available from LLL's lending library.
- While you are still home on maternity leave, begin to work on building a supply of stored breast milk. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored safely in a deep freezer for 6 – 12 months!
- Contact Maternal-Infant Services of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster counties (MISN) at 845-928-7448 or call our help line at 1-800-453-4666. We can help you find what you need to make your breastfeeding experience a success!
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