Believe it or not, when it comes to infant feeding, there are many choices to be made and to be honest, those choices are so much more than bottle v.s. breast feeding. The truth is, there is no ‘right way’ to feed your baby and your options on how you do that effectively are endless. If you are pregnant and considering how you plan on feeding your baby for the first time, continue reading. This one’s for you.
We’ll start with breastfeeding. Breastmilk is considered the biologically optimal food for babies. Breastfeeding can be a beautiful experience where new parents can bond and nourish their baby at the same time. However…
Breastfeeding is not easy.
It’s not always as simple as placing baby to your breast and calling it lunch. A variety of things including but not limited to: poor latch, low milk supply along with breastfeeding related ailments are a few things that can discourage new parents from breastfeeding.
There is one, very important thing, to keep in mind.
If you cannot breastfeed your baby, YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!
Despite how society can make us feel.
There are plenty of other options if breastfeeding starts to suck [pun very much intended!]
Pumping your breastmilk and putting it into bottles can be a great option for new parents with a strong milk supply who are struggling with their latch.
Let’s also not forget that formula is not the enemy.
There is nothing wrong with feeding your baby formula if that is what is best for you and your family.
Many new families are not aware of the signs to change infant feeding techniques in order to have a happy and successful infant feeding journey. Northeast Doulas as ProDoula Certified Infant Feeding Specialists on our staff that can assist you and your new family as you transition to life with baby, while helping you identify feeding queues, suggest new feeding techniques and much more!
