Benefits of the Lactation Counselor in Richmond, KY
Benefits of the Lactation Counselor Healthtalk Transcript:
Marti Hackworth, RN, Certified Lactation Counselor
Baptist Health Richmond
Marti Hackworth, RN:
Some of the benefits of seeing a lactation counselor after leaving the hospital is that once your milk's in, you can see how much the baby is transferring over when they breastfeed. A lot of times women need reassurance so they know their baby's getting enough.
I really encourage moms to try to exclusively breastfeed because it is important to the baby's immune system. When you get digging into the research, breast milk is not just food, it's like medicine for the baby. The benefit to the mom is astronomical. For mom to stay healthier throughout her life, by breastfeeding, she is decreasing her chance of breast cancer, uterine cancer, Type 2 diabetes later in life, and hypertension later in life. These are huge health benefits that she's getting by breastfeeding. I feel passionate that moms need to know this, and moms need to do what's going to make them healthier and their baby healthier.
With my years of experience helping moms breastfeed, moms come in with sore nipples. I know right then that the latch is usually the problem. I tell her, "You show me what you do." She'll get her baby on just like she always does. I look and see that the baby's latch is good, and if I don't see that it's good, then I give her some suggestions how to make it better. A lot of times, that'll fix the soreness [and] fix the baby's transfer. When the baby transfers, they’re getting food.
Usually, once we fix the latch, mom will see the baby nursing 15 minutes on each side. Mom's not as sore, and baby's more satisfied; he gets more sleep, and mom gets more sleep — [it’s a] win-win.