The power of your mammary glands!

Written By Karen Martz
Kimberly Nguyen.png

Okay, so first up. This post comes with a caveat. I am about to launch into a discussion around breastfeeding and why your booby milk is so magic – but I want readers to know that my views hold no judgement to women who choose not to breastfeed or for whatever reason are unable too. Every mother needs to do what is right for her and her baby in whatever circumstance she finds herself in. Sometimes the system fails mothers, other times a medical reason might prevent a mother from being able to breastfed and there are also situations were mother chooses not to because of a reason unique and personal to her circumstances. 

I simply just want to get some information out there that I think EVERYONE has a right to know and ponder on.

 Your boobs are magic. On so many levels. They weren’t designed to pleasure your man (sorry boys!), instead they give you and your baby the gift of good health. So really your titties are the most miraculous part of your biology. They nourish and give life to your baby and provide you with health benefits along the way! 

Breastmilk is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your child because it is completely different to formula. At the most basic level it is free, much more convenient (no sterilising, temperature testings, bottle preparation etc.), less likely to expose baby to risk of infection and on tap whenever baby wants. But the actual milk is where the magic starts.

Breastmilk is a complex and living nutritional fluid that has all the ‘food elements’ like carbs, protein and fats but also antibodies, vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, and hormones – something that cannot be replicated in formula. Formula milk is just food.

So, what does this mean? 

Research shows that breastmilk can actually protect infants from conditions such as diarrhoea, respiratory and ear infections and may reduce risk of childhood obesity, diabetes and leukaemia’s later in life. Early intake of colostrum is very beneficial for baby as its rich in antibodies protecting your baby’s immune system. For mothers it may reduce the risk of some cancers such as breast and ovarian and osteoporosis and helps you bond with your baby in the most beautifully intense way. This is because breastfeeding releases mummy’s ‘love hormones’ synergistically working to produce and ‘let down’ milk while making mum feel totally calm and loved up.

It seriously blows my mind, how magic the female body is.  The intelligence in the biology is hands down the best thing ever. But breastfeeding rates aren’t great in Australia and the stats indicate we are falling short of World Health Organisation’s recommendations.

The WHO recommends that infants should be exclusive breastfed up to 6 months and thereafter supplementary breastfed for up to 2 years and beyond. Statistics from the 2010  Australian national infant feeding survey indicate around 96% of mothers initiate breastfeeding. From then on, rates drop off dramatically.  Less than half (39%) of babies are exclusively breastfed up to 3 months and by 5 months old less than 15%. The survey also found that by the time babies are 6 months old, 4 in 10 babies are receiving no breastmilk at all.

But this trend is not unique to Australia, UNICEF says that the world’s richest countries have the lowest breastfeeding rates despite the benefits for baby and mother, while some of the more developing countries like Bhutan, Madagascar and Peru have the highest nursing rates.

Why is it that our breastfeeding rates are so slow in comparison to other countries?

I digged pretty deep to find some answers and found the following issues propping up as reasons for why mothers stop breastfeeding:

  •  Not enough babies are breastfed in the first hour after birth 

Immediate skin to skin contact is really important for mother and baby. Skin to skin keeps baby warm and enables baby to instinctively search for the breast for its first feed. The first milk or colostrum is rich in antibodies and protects babies from disease building his or her immune system. Unrestricted skin to skin breastfeeding in the first hours after birth and gentle help with positioning and attaching the baby increases the chances that mother will be able to continue breastfeeding exclusively.  This golden hour is also important for promoting the mother baby bond and production of milk.

Unfortunately, our health system can sometimes undermine this process. Mothers can feel pushed and shoved around, or rushed through this process and even discharged from care within 24-48 hours with little to no support when they get home – some media reports show that Australia mothers have felt pressured to leave hospital as early as 4 hours after giving birth!

  •  Post-natal care is in adequate leaving mothers feeling alone and unsupported

If mama is shoved out of hospital within 1-3 days, who looks after her at home? In many other cultures post-natal care after birth is given to the mother for up to 6 weeks, commonly referred to as the golden month, or the first 40 days. This is regarded as a time to rest and recuperate, to bond and learn how to care for baby. Family, friends, private and/or publicly funded assistance help mother with basic baby care, breastfeeding, cooking, cleaning, and other household chores. 

In Australia, most new mothers get only 1 publicly funded post-natal visit from a maternal and child health nurse and are lucky if their partners are able to take a week or two off work to help her. Some women don’t have access to maternity leave and return to work earlier than they would like to find out that their workplace is not all that supportive of breastfeeding mothers.  If breastfeeding rates are dropping rapidly in the first three months after birth it’s a tell-tale sign that many women are struggling at home alone. They either don’t have access to support, cannot afford to buy it or are not even aware of where to get it.  A Cochrane review of 34 trials (29,385 women) found that if a women is given more support after birth whether this is from a professional or lay person  it increases the duration of any breastfeeding to six months, with a greater effect for exclusive breast feeding. 

  • Poor attachment, ‘not enough milk for child’, cracked bleeding or sore nipples, mastitis, engorgement, cluster feeding, unsettled baby

Low milk supply, whether perceived or actual is one of the most common reasons why mothers stop breastfeeding. An article from Health Direct.gov states that most women are capable of breastfeeding but there are rare cases where a woman may have breasts that do not produce enough milk due to insufficient glandular tissue.  Low milk supply may also be caused by other factors such as maternal illness, past breast surgery, infrequent feeds and poor attachment. Poor attachment can lead to nipple trauma which can cause great discomfort for the mother. And there are also situations were baby is unsettled and may go through periods of cluster feeding. The main message here is that clinical problems can arise when breastfeeding your baby but help is always available to mothers and babies who wish to continue feeding. 

The first 6 weeks are the most challenging time for breastfeeding as the breasts are working out their supply and demand situation and regulating their milk in accordance to baby’s demands. Research shows that correct positioning and attachment of the baby at the breast is crucial to establishing sustainable breastfeeding and that help from a trained professional can go long way to preventing and/or resolving problems. 

Some top tips when it comes to breastfeeding:

  • Educate yourself while you are pregnant and develop a breastfeeding plan. Get started with the resources suggested below.

  • It is your right to demand skin to skin contact and unrestricted breastfeeding in the first hours after birth.

  • Get the help you need to ensure correct positioning and attachment. This will go long way to preventing common complications such as nipple trauma, low milk supply, unsettle baby etc.

  • Line up support at home from your partner, family and even paid assistance – think about building a village to help you with cooking, shopping, cleaning, child minding etc. 

  • Accept that breastfeeding is a learnt skill and trust your body and baby’s intelligence (they know what to do!) - it will come easier with practice and over time you will develop your confidence. 

  • Know where to get help, have your resources and numbers on hand and don’t be afraid to reach out for it when you need.

Additional educational resources and helplines:

 

e-Signature.jpg

Best Wishes,

Zoe | www.bellamama.com.au

Hypnobirthing Practitioner Childbirth Educator ( HPCE)
Hypnobirthing Australia™ - Postpartum Doula - Yoga Teacher (RYT 200)

Wishing for a positive and calm birth and a peaceful transition to motherhood?

Karen Martz
Previous

Why we need to stop the rush to seek peace and joy in motherhood