Planning for after birth is an important part of being pregnant. Here is a list of some topics expectant mothers can discuss with their doctor, doula, hospital or birthing center before birth if the plan is to exclusively breastfeed.
The benefits of breastfeeding are very important to me and my baby. I would like to talk about a few guidelines I wish to follow as long as it is medically safe for my baby and me.
If I am unable to answer questions about the chosen infant feeding practices, please speak with my birthing partner or my doctor, who are both supportive of my decision to breastfeed.
Exclusive breastfeeding
Please do not give my baby any supplements before speaking to my birthing partner or me. I need all of my baby's suckling to be at my breast in order for me to establish a good milk supply.
No bottles or pacifiers
Please do not give my baby artificial nipples including pacifiers or any types of bottles with formula, water or glucose water. If there is a medical reason for supplementation, I would first like to speak with a lactation consultant or pediatrician about trying alternate feeding methods with expressed milk.
Skin-to-skin
When my baby is born, I would like to have him/her placed on my chest, skin-to-skin with me for at least thirty minutes. If possible, please perform routine newborn evaluations with my baby on my chest. Throughout our stay, I want to be able to hold my baby skin-to-skin as much as possible. A blanket may be placed over us, but not between us, if extra warmth is necessary.
First hour
Please help me initiate breastfeeding within 30 minutes to one hour of delivery. This means placing my baby skin-to-skin as soon as possible after birth, offering help to begin breastfeeding when my baby seems ready (e.g., rooting, licking lips). Please do not force my baby to take the breast if he/she is not showing signs of readiness. Instead, keep my baby skin-to-skin with me until he/she is ready to try to latch.
Routine exams
Please examine my baby in my presence and do not take him/her away from me unless he/she requires medical treatment that cannot be done in my room.
Emergency cesarean
If I have a cesarean, I would like to hold my baby skin-to-skin as soon as possible after the operation. If I am unable to for some time after the delivery, then please allow my partner to hold my baby skin-to-skin.
Rooming in
I would like to room in with my baby 24 hours a day to give my baby plenty of skin-to-skin time, and so I can learn my baby's feeding cues and feed him at his first sign of hunger. If, for some reason, my baby and I are not in the same room, please bring him/her to me at the earliest hunger cues, such as sucking on hands, making sucking noises, rapid eye movement or rooting.
Breastfeeding assistance
Please teach me how to identify a good latch and how to correct my baby’s positioning and latch if improvement is needed. Please teach me how to recognize my baby’s early hunger cues and how to tell if my baby is breastfeeding well.
Breast pumps
If my baby is unable to breastfeed or is separated from me due to medical reasons, I want to be able to use a breast pump within six hours of delivery. If you think I am going to need a pump longer than my hospital stay, or if there is not a double electric breast pump available, please remind me to call my WIC local agency.
Discharge bags
Please do not provide me with a discharge bag containing formula or show me any promotional or marketing materials related to artificial baby milk.
Breastfeeding support after discharge
I would like to receive contact information for breastfeeding support in case I need help with breastfeeding after my baby and I are home.