The Infant Feeding Journey
This morning I had the pleasure of presenting to a group of pregnant moms as part of a maternal wellness program entitled Glowing Beginnings. Sponsored by the Perinatal Wellness Alliance (https://www.perinatalwellnesssupportcenter.org/), this 6-week workshop is for any pregnant mother on the Cape and beyond. I was a guest presenter and shared information on “The Infant Feeding Journey”.
What a thrill, honestly. Not only to be supporting maternal wellness, but to meet pregnant moms and share with them information I feel passionate about. My hope and plan are to approach other local Cape organizations to offer this presentation to more families, either in person or on zoom.
So, what did I present? My aim was to offer information that would be helpful to all moms, whether they planned to breastfeed or bottle feed. Information such as the importance of skin to skin for mom and baby on day of birth. While skin to skin is one of the best ways to introduce and promote breastfeeding, it is also incredibly valuable to all moms and all babies, regardless of feeding plan.
I talked about how much food babies need, how often they need to eat (10-12x/24 hours), and how to know when to feed the baby (follow their cues). I shared some information on how to know if a baby is getting enough food and how babies communicate that they are full. Information on why the Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding based on the benefits for mom and baby.
I shared my interest as a doula and lactation counselor to support moms to feel confident and content with their infant’s feeding journey.
Wrapping up, here were my 5 takeaways:
All babies are special and unique, just like all mommas are special and unique
You will know your baby best, trust your intuition and instincts
Accept help and support!
Try skin-to-skin to calm your baby (and it may calm parent also)
YOU CAN DO THIS, MOMMA!
Thank you to the moms who attended this morning, and thank you to Kerry at the Perinatal Wellness Support Center for inviting me to speak.
