Overcoming Breastfeeding Challenges Faced by New Moms

New mothers usually have many questions about breastfeeding before delivering their babies, while in the hospital, when they return home and as their babies get older. Nurse specialists and certified lactation consultants at Baptist Health’s hospitals can answer these questions and help make breastfeeding a rewarding experience. (August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month.)

“As women go through those first few foggy, very sleep-deprived weeks of motherhood, they face so many new challenges and for many moms, breastfeeding tops that list,” explains Neki Mohan, host of a new Baptist HealthTalk podcast: A New Mom’s Guide to Breastfeeding. “It can be so overwhelming. How do you make sure you're giving what your baby needs?”

Ms. Mohan’s guest is Carey Acosta, R.N., a lactation specialist at Baptist Health South Florida. The benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and newborn are many, she says.

“For baby, there's a ton of great benefits,” said Ms. Acosta. “It helps lower their risk of diabetes. It can keep them healthier. They get antibodies so they get sick less often. They don't get ear infections as much as a regularly bottle-fed baby.  For mom, breastfeeding lowers her risk of heart disease, and uterine and ovarian cancer. It can actually lower her risk of postpartum depression, which is huge. And … they get back to their pre-pregnancy body weight much quicker, which I think a lot of moms really appreciate.”

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for about the first six months, and then continuing breastfeeding while introducing appropriate complementary foods until the child is 12 months old or older. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months.

What can an expectant mother do before the baby's here to prepare for breastfeeding, asks Ms. Mohan?

“The most important thing first is to talk to your family,” said Ms. Acosta. “Let them know what your breastfeeding wishes are because you're going to need that support. Take a class. You know: Knowledge is power. One thing I would say is avoid social media. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it's true. Because somebody is on TikTok and saying: ‘Hey, you should do this.’ That doesn't make them an expert. Also, get a breast pump ahead of time because you might run into the event that you have a preterm baby, and insurance companies cover them now.”

Here's more from the Baptist HealthTalk podcast:

Ms. Mohan: Some mothers choose to breastfeed for a few days. Some choose to just breastfeed for a few months -- some a few years. What's a suggested timeframe a mother should breastfeed and should anybody regulate that?

Ms. Acosta: If you go by what the standards are for the American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization -- they say exclusively breastfeed for six months. Then you introduce solid foods, and then they want you to breastfeed, continuing for two years. But, you have to take into account what works for each family. Some people might not have that ability. They have to go back to work. Ideally, breastfeed at least for those first six months, if you can exclusively breastfeed. And then introduce food. And then, at a year, transition into cow's milk.”

Ms. Mohan: “If you're a mom that is breastfeeding, how much milk should the baby be getting at different stages? Is it simply -- they're gaining weight so they're getting enough milk?”

Ms. Acosta: “That's important. When you take your baby to your well checkup, they should be meeting those milestones. That's definitely important. But when you're breastfeeding, you should hear swallowing. Your baby shouldn't be crying all the time. You can look at voids and stools, making sure your baby's pooping and peeing enough.

“As far as how much during different stages, it's kind of hard to say because if you have a preterm baby, they might have higher caloric needs. It depends. If you have a really large baby, that one might need a little bit more. So, there's a lot of factors that play into that. I would say to just reach out to your pediatrician. But if you're exclusively breastfeeding -- and you're truly breastfeeding on demand when the baby wants -- you should be doing okay.”