Bodyfeeding/Chestfeeding/Breastfeeding is hard. You can read all the books and blogs, listen to all the podcasts, go to all the support groups, and you may still struggle. Research has shown that 95% of mothers in the US want to breastfeed, but only 50% are still breastfeeding by 6 months postpartum. If bodyfeeding is a natural, normal process in the human body, why is it so difficult?
After pouring over dozens of research journals, I believe there are 4 factors contributing to the low success rates in the US:
1) Increased levels of stress.
2) Lack of constant skin-to-skin.
3) Undiagnosed lip/tongue/cheek ties.
4) Lack of education.
Let’s break these down, shall we?
INCREASED LEVELS OF STRESS
This is especially prevalent right now in the midst of a global pandemic, a social justice uprising, an election year, and mass wildfires. The upside is this climate allows for more bonding and skin-to-skin time, which we’ll get into next. Stress has a MASSIVE impact on breastmilk production. Stress releases the hormone catecholamine, which inhibits endorphin and oxytocin production, the two hormones most crucial to the bodies ability to create breastmilk. Obviously you can’t always control the life events around you that may increase the feelings of stress, and adding on the guilt and frustration of low milk supply is certainly not going to alleviate those feelings. My recommendation in these moments is to return to your body. Take a moment, maybe 5 minutes each day, to take some nourishing breaths and remind your body that you are safe. Getting your body out of “fight or flight” and into a more relaxed state can do wonders for your supply. Another trick is to surround yourself with visual affirmations like “I AM SAFE”, “I TRUST MY BODY”, or “I AM NOURISHING MY BABY”. Just some gentle reminders that your are a badass who can sustain life with your body. Also, stress inhibits digestion. So try to remember to take good care of your badass body with good nutrition and LOTS of water.
LACK OF CONSTANT SKIN-TO-SKIN
An unexpected silver lining in the world right now is increased bodyfeeding success. Why? Because a lot of new parents are spending more time at home with their newborns. Without distractions/stressors such as constant visitors, working in the office, and traveling, we’re seeing an increase of skin-to-skin time in the first few months which leads to higher bodyfeeding success. As I explained to a sweet four year old at a home birth recently, the newborn body has a super power: it is able to talk to it’s parent’s body without saying words! Simply by having their skin touch your skin, your baby can communicate their needs and can gather life-saving information such as how to breathe, what temperature to keep their body, and when to sleep. The more time you can spend with your baby’s skin touching yours, the more your bodies can communicate and understand each other.
UNDIAGNOSED LIP/TONGUE/CHEEK TIES
The medical term for the condition known as tongue tie is “ankyloglossia”. The tongue is made up of a very complex group of muscles that are important for all oral functions. When the small fold of tissue that extends from the floor of your mouth to the bottom of your tongue is too thick or too short, this abnormality can cause many issues, affecting many daily activities. Not all tongue ties cause functional problems, and procedures to correct the condition are only necessary if issues with oral function are present. There are also lip ties, which are present when there is an unusually tight labial frenulum, which keeps the upper lip tied to the gums. As well as cheek ties, which are caused when there is more connective tissue from the gums to the inner cheek. If you suspect a tongue/lip/cheek tie, it is important to see a well versed expert to understand if a procedure is needed. How does this affect bodyfeeding success? Well, to breastfeed successfully, the baby needs to open wide and latch onto both the breast tissue and nipple. Babies with tongue/lip/cheek ties aren’t able to open their mouths wide enough to latch onto the breast properly, commonly resulting in a shallow latch and nursing issues. Some symptoms you may notice while nursing include difficulty latching, a clicking sound while nursing, long feeding times, chomping on the nipple, or overall frustration. These struggles are SO HARD on the nursing person. Studies show that nursing persons whose babies have undiagnosed ties have a 50% higher rate of Postpartum Depression. So looking for and diagnosing ties can be an absolute game changer.
LACK OF EDUCATION
Research shows bodyfeeding initiation, exclusivity and duration can be increased with prenatal bodyfeeding education. Regardless of form—individual, group or technology-based—education programs are effective in providing nursing persons with evidence-based bodyfeeding information and guidance. Taking an education class or scheduling a consultation with a lactation consultant can not only help answer any and all questions you have about bodyfeeding ahead of time, it can also help calm your fears and prepare for the birth of your baby. Learning about what will happen immediately after the delivery of your baby – when skin-to-skin contact is initiated, hospital routines/tests, lactation support, home birth expectations, etc. – will allow you to organize and plan ahead to make the most of your experience. While some prefer one-on-one attention, signing up for a group class also may be beneficial. Having the opportunity to ask questions of professionals and meet other parents-to-be who plan to embark on the same journey can be invaluable. Postpartum and real-time education can also be an incredibly beneficial as new issues arise.
Obviously, there are several other factors that can impact bodyfeeding success such as schedules, nutrition, sleeping, and pumping. But these were just some of the most prevalent I’ve seen!
Bodyfeeding/Chestfeeding/Breastfeeding can be a beautiful, spiritual experience between parent and child, so removing as many road blocks and stressors as possible is absolutely key to increase enjoyment. This is not an experience you should suffer through or feel pressured into continuing. Sometimes the best option might actually be formula feeding. Your physical and mental health are paramount, so the most important step is finding good support in every aspect of your journey. As a CLC, I am here to guide you to the best information and resources out there. You are not alone!