There are many choices and decisions to make while pregnant. One question is “Am I
going to breastfeed/nurse?” Many pregnant moms do not realize there are many other women asking themselves the same question. By committing to the nursing lifestyle, they become part of a unique community, one that welcomes anyone and helps everyone. Once a mother has chosen to give nursing a shot, she might ask herself what it is going to mean to be a part of the breastfeeding community. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a citizen is “an inhabitant of a city or town.” However, in many communities being a citizen means so much more than just living in that area. Being a part of the breastfeeding community should mean being able to positively contribute to the spread of knowledge, support, and benefits that nursing brings, whether one is a lactation consultant, a mother, an advocating father, or an average supporter of the cause.
Becoming an active citizen within the breastfeeding community is absolutely done by
choice. Once a mother has committed herself to breastfeeding, she has made a silent pact with herself to do everything she can to succeed at it. It is like Benjamin Franklin’s fourth virtue of Resolution from his Autobiography. He states, “Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve” (28). To help with the success of breastfeeding, there are many different classes available to take. These classes are made available to the community through insurance companies and local hospitals, and they usually cost a small fee. However,
participants gain priceless knowledge about the benefits, upcoming challenges, and obstacles that come along with breastfeeding.
As soon as a mother has g...
... middle of paper ...
...h a diverse group of people brought together by the same mission. They want
to positively contribute to the spread of knowledge, support, and benefits that nursing brings to
their community, as well as to the world. Members of the breastfeeding community understand
the remarkable benefits and the unbelievable bond it brings to mom and baby. Therefore, they
want to share and spread information to others. The breastfeeding community and its citizens
want all mothers to have the best experience possible. Through determination, unconditional
support, and love, the best breastfeeding experience can be achieved.
Works Cited
“Citizen.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 2011. Web. 1 February 2013.
Franklin, Benjamin. “From Autobiography.” Composing a Civic Life. Eds. Michael Berndt and Amy Muse. 2nd ed. New York: Pearson, 2007. 27-35. Print.
middle of paper ... ... Our babies, our bodies and our families can reap the benefits of a happier and better rested mother-baby pair. Works Cited Christensen, Brittany. Personal Interview.
There is no need to run out to the store to buy formula, bottles, or burp cloths. Breastfed babies do not spit up as often because breast milk is easier on the belly and the baby will not ingest the air that a bottle fed baby does. That means fewer outfit changes and less laundry. Although feeding in public may be easier for a formula fed baby, a lot of awesome things to make breastfeeding in public easier and more discreet have been created. There are nursing tank tops so that mom's belly stays covered and nursing cover ups which are light weight blankets that moms can wear to keep themselves covered while still being able to see baby. Most public places are beginning to put nursing stations in as well. Also, there is no need to mess with fumbling around in the kitchen to prepare a bottle at 3 AM for a crying baby that is hungry. Breast milk is always available and warm. The American Pregnancy Association recommends breastfeeding for most families in the article “Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding” (2017, May 16). -www.americanpregnancy.org
Some people don't particularly like seeing a woman breastfeed. It makes them feel "uncomfortable". Woman are asked to leave the room or to stop breastfeeding by those who feel uncomfortable. Breasts are viewed as sexual items rather than a natural way of providing nutrients and comfort for a child. Some people are against public breastfeeding because they don't want to explain what is going on to their child. Woman are often told that their child is to old to be breastfed. It is no ones business but the mothers how...
"How Breastfeeding Benefits You and Your Baby." BabyCenter. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014. .
Sorensen, J., & Abbott, E. (2004). The Maternity and Infancy Revolution. Maternal & Child Health Jounal, 8(3), 107-110. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14089739&site=ehost-live
Lactation consultants are a vital part of the healthcare system. Together with the rest of the healthcare team they make sure that mother and baby's care as a breastfeeding pair is complete. The International Board Certified Lactation Consultant represents the "gold standard" in lactation consultant credentialing. Lactation consultants who carry the credentials IBCLC behind their names are specially trained and qualified to assist with every aspect of breastfeeding. I chose the topic of lactation consulting because I feel strongly about being a breastfeeding advocate. I believe that those in the healthcare field, especially the people involved in woman’s health and pediatrics should be knowledgeable in this area. After all it has been found that breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for infants.
It is important to understand what women commonly experience during pregnancy. With a better understanding of what happens during prenatal development and childbirth, physicians can competently develop the best plan for the mother and baby. I interviewed two women who have been previously pregnant in order to evaluate how the ideas in the book translate into real-life experiences.
It’s also an opportunity for mothers who feel that they cannot care for their child the way they
Women do not breastfeed long enough. Although healthcare workers try to promote the breast method, many women do not continue with it. Breastfeeding does come with challenges; however, the phrase “breast is best” is the role of the nurse in conjunction with education. A mother a...
Breastfeeding is extremely beneficial to both mother and baby and the environment as well. Breastfed children are less likely to have ear infections, allergies, vomiting, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, chronic digestive disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, bacterial meningitis, research also indicates that breastfeeding may help protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), women who were breastfed as infants have a lower rate of breast cancer, and breastfeeding helps promote bonding between mother and child. Breastfeeding has also been related to possible enhancement of babies' cognitive development. It's good for the mother because it burns more calories; it increases levels of oxytocin, resulting in less postpartum bleeding; it builds bone strength; it helps the uterus return to its regular size more quickly; and it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer. The environment benefits because whereas there is waste generated from formula packaging and bottle inserts, there is no such waste with breastfeeding. There's also the use of water and fuel to heat the bottles as well. (Dermer and Montgomery). Businesses benefit when their workers breastfeed as well. Aetna Inc. found that parents of breastfed babies missed fewer workdays and saved a total of $2,500 per newborn in the first year alone. CIGNA established a program for nursing mothers. They found that that saved them $240,000 a year in health care and $60,000 in reduced absenteeism. (Redbook, ...
Breastfeeding is the perfect intersection of food, nourishment, and the mother-child bond. Repeatedly through the novel, Naoe tries to recapture the feeling
In studying the advent of autobiography as a genre in its own right, it would seem to be a particularly modern form of literature, a hybrid form of biography. Also, the distinctions between the forms of the biography, personal history or diary and novel are becoming questioned in that the autobiography is not an account of wisdom accumulated in a lifetime but a defining of identity. 2
After seeing this mother, doing the research and seeing how valuable breastfeeding teaching really is, I realized that my preconception related to breastfeeding was way off and my respect for mothers who try to breastfeed and continue to try throughout difficulties without giving up has increased substantially. It is so important to encourage a mother and help her out through the difficulties and challenges she faces through breastfeeding. It may help the mother to know that she is not alone and breastfeeding difficulties are quite common in the beginning but it gets easier with time. I feel that I have learned a lot about breastfeeding difficulties and techniques after being able to go in with a lactation consultant and doing this reflection. I have found that there are many valuable resources for the breastfeeding mother. At the time of this situation, I did not know there was a breastfeeding clinic and a number that you could call if you had any questions, which would really benefit my patient or any patient with breastfeeding questions. It is quite unfortunate that a lactation consultant was not working on Saturday because this mom could have really benefit from one. However, there is healthy and home, a community health division, with workers who are able to help with breastfeeding, including lactation consultants and are able to
Every day, hundreds of women are welcoming their newborn baby into the world. That means these women are having to decide how it is they are going to feed these precious new babies. Are they going to bottle feed with a manmade formula, or will they nurture their baby the way nature intended by breastfeeding? Whether the child is feed by a bottle with formula, or by a breast with breast milk, your purpose is to nourish your child in the best way possible that you are able to do it in. Not all women are able to breastfeed and not all women can afford to use formula.
Mercer, R. (2004). Becoming a Mother Versus Maternal Role Attainment. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36(3), 226-232. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.