"This book is empowering, informative, and made me believe in affirmations!" -Abby Sher, author of Amen, Amen, Amen and Breastfeeding Mom Part self-help guide, part nursing companion, I Can Breastfeed: Visualizing Your Way to Breastfeeding Success off ers help in preparing for the arrival of a new baby. Learn to use visualization and affirmations to build confidence and foster a successful breastfeeding relationship with your baby. Based upon her experience as a lactation consultant, midwife, and mother of two, Kristina Chamberlain, CNM, ARNP, IBCLC, provides practical advice for the new mom and the working mom. Gain confidence on a variety of breastfeeding topics: ¿ Benefits of breastfeeding ¿ Expectations for the first two weeks of your baby's life ¿ Proper breastfeeding positions and latch ¿ Common breastfeeding obstacles and how to avoid them ¿ Appropriate birth control while nursing ¿ Preparations for going back to work I Can Breastfeed provides ten visualization exercises and over forty affirmations that will motivate you to believe that breastfeeding is not only the normal but the very best way to feed your baby.

I Can Breastfeed

Visualize Your Way to Breastfeeding SuccessBy Kristina Chamberlain

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Kristina Chamberlain, CNM, ARNP, IBCLC
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4502-5397-0

Contents

Acknowledgments........................................................................ixIntroduction I've Been There Too!......................................................xiChapter 1 You Can Do It. Yes, You Can! But Why?........................................1Chapter 2 Visualize It! Benefits of Affirmations and Visualization.....................8Chapter 3 Successful Breastfeeding Before The Birth....................................16Chapter 4 What Are My Breasts Doing?...................................................24Chapter 5 Birth to Two Weeks...........................................................29Chapter 6 Positions and Latch: Getting It Right........................................41Chapter 7 How Do I Know My Baby Is Getting Enough Milk?................................51Chapter 8 Obstacles That Can Be Overcome...............................................55Chapter 9 Breastfeeding, Sex, and Birth Control........................................67Chapter 10 Pumping While Away From Baby................................................74Chapter 11 Feel the Confidence.........................................................84Chapter 12 For Those Unable To Breastfeed..............................................88Appendix 1 Affirmations for Successful Breastfeeding...................................93Appendix 2 Writing A Birth Plan........................................................97Appendix 3 Galactogogues...............................................................101Resources..............................................................................105Bibliography...........................................................................107About the Author.......................................................................109

Chapter One

You Can Do It. Yes, You Can! But Why?

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My breasts know exactly how much milk my baby needs.

Breastfeeding is the gift of ideal nutrition and the best start for good health. Breast milk is the optimal food for your baby, providing the healthiest foundation for her immune system and overall future health. Breastfeeding also allows time for you and your baby to slow down and connect with each other. Dads and partners can be confident that breastfeeding provides their baby with the best nutrition possible. The whole family benefits from breastfeeding! Breastfeeding also benefits society as a whole.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, and continued breastfeeding for at least the next 6 months. (1) In other words, breastfeed your baby for at least a year, even if you are feeding her solid food by then. All benefits of breastfeeding continue the longer you breastfeed. In America, about 72% of moms start breastfeeding their babies at birth. At 6 months, that rate drops to about 14%. (2) That's too low! Many moms and babies are missing out on the long-term benefits of breastfeeding. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a goal of the Healthy People 2010 Initiative was for breastfeeding rates at 6 months postpartum to increase to 50%, and to 25% at one year. This would have a great positive impact on the overall health of our country, improving quality of life, decreasing chronic illness, and decreasing the amount of health care dollars spent because breastfed babies grow up to be healthier adults.

Why are so few moms still nursing at 6 months? Lack of support is probably the biggest reason: lack of support from family, lack of support from employers, and lack of support from society in general, not to mention a non-supportive maternity leave in this country. As a society, we don't wholly embrace nursing our babies as normal. Children's books often show babies feeding from a bottle, rather than a breast. Women are still asked to cover up or leave public places when nursing their babies in some states. Nursing a toddler is negatively judged by many, so moms keep it a secret. Somewhere along the way (right around when formula was created and given free to new moms in the hospital), breastfeeding got a bad reputation and we have been working to change it ever since.

Components of Breast Milk

What is in breast milk? What makes it so delicious and nutritious for our babes? We probably don't know everything included in this living liquid, but here is what we do know about the composition of human milk:

Breast milk is made mostly of water, about 87%. It provides all of the water a baby needs, even on really hot days. (3)

Protein is synthesized from amino acids, which are the building blocks of all cells. These amino acids come from the mother's blood and are important for the development of the central nervous system. There are 2 types of proteins: casein (curd), which makes up 40% of the proteins and whey (lactalbumins), which makes up 60% of the proteins. (4) (3)

Whey proteins have infection protective properties; it inhibits the growth of certain bacteria in the baby's gut. It also protects against respiratory illness and allergies.

The casein found in human milk allows more iron to be absorbed by the baby's body. This is especially important because iron is found in low amounts in human milk.

Protein enzymes have an anti-inflammatory function and are antimicrobial. They also promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut and aid in the development of intestinal tissue.

The main carbohydrate found in human milk is lactose. High amounts of lactose create a more acidic environment in the baby's gut, which decreases the amount of "bad" bacteria. It also improves the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Fat is a vehicle for fat soluble vitamins and cholesterol necessary for brain development and a precursor for prostaglandins and hormones. The majority of calories in human milk come from fat.

There are many vitamins found in human milk. The fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. The water soluble vitamins are C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate, B12, biotin, and panthothenic acid. (4) (3)

The minerals found in human milk are phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. (4)

The electrolytes found in human milk are potassium, sodium, and chloride. (4)

The trace elements found in human milk are zinc, iron, iodine, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, and cobalt. (4)

There are also plenty of white blood cells (WBCs) in human milk. The job of WBCs are to fight infection: another reason breast milk is so great at keeping your baby healthy!

Benefits to Baby

Breast milk provides probiotics (good bacteria) to your baby so that her gut begins to work properly. Breast milk also contains disease-fighting antibodies. These antibodies lay the foundation for the immune system of your baby. Thus, breastfed babies are healthier and get fewer infections. When mom is sick, her body produces the antibodies to fight that particular illness. These antibodies pass through the breast milk to the baby, giving him protection from the very illness his mother has.

Babies utilize the nutrients of breast milk more efficiently, so it...