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Operation Information
Boot Camp Basics for Breastfeeding Success
By Shel Franco and Melissa Clark Vickers, IBCLC
"I think I'll instinctively know how to breastfeed," says mom-to-be Michelle Beerman of Allentown, Pa. "After all, it's what I was biologically programmed to do."
She's not alone in her thoughts. As more and more information comes out about the importance of breast milk, more and more women are throwing out the bottle.
Although breastfeeding is natural, it's not as "instinctive" as some might think – especially not in societies where bottle-feeding seems to dominate the maternity landscape. Fortunately, breastfeeding success is the overwhelming norm for women who have the right information and expectations. iParenting expert advisors can help provide you with both.
"One of the problems I've found working with pregnant moms is that they are so focused on 'the birth' that they only half listen to anything post birth!" says Karen Zeretzke, IBCLC, a certified lactation consultant in Baton Rouge, La.
Remember, in the grand scheme of things, birth is "lightening fast." After that, you have 18 years – or more – of caring for your child. It makes sense to put some emphasis on the choices that will impact you for years to come.
According to Ann Calandro, RNC, IBCLC, a certified lactation consultant in Waxhaw, N.C., a positive attitude about breastfeeding is key to your success. "It is this attitude that will carry [moms] over bumps in the road and even mountains should they appear in the horizon," she says.
Calandro believes that early exposure to successful breastfeeding creates this positive attitude. "[La Leche League] meetings, classes, being around other mothers and seeing the loving relationships is what makes mothers realize that this is what they want for themselves and their own babies," she says. "Once the attitude is there, nothing is going to impede their success. There is such a unique difference in the way that breastfeeding mothers and babies interact. The air is charged with this love, and it is contagious!"
