Monday, June 3, 2013

Breastfeeding Struggles

We all know that breast is best; i can't count how many times i have heard/read that statement. Breastfeeding    however did not come naturally to me; contrary to popular belief it was a journey. The initial 3 months were the hardest for me; my nipples were sore, I had an overactive letdown; which means that my milk was shooting out too forcefully/ too fast for my baby causing him to choke, cry out in pain, arch his back and pull off the nipple. Further more, I did not anticipate the number of hours I would spend sitting down and just nursing; I felt like a cow.

Regardless of all this glitches I faced along the way, i was determined to breastfeed my baby; i wanted him to get all that good nutrient, plus i enjoyed the bonding experience. I am glad I stuck to it because I am loving it now; finally got that good latch and found ways to deal with my letdown. However, there has been days/nights where i would just stand in front of the can of formula and stare at it for a good 5 minutes, having an internal struggle of whether to just give in. It got me thinking, why mothers put so much pressure on themselves to breastfeed? I am not saying give up breastfeeding altogether; but if you are struggling and its taking up that crucial bonding time with the baby, by all means reach for that formula; rather a happy mum and baby than a depressed one. What are your breastfeeding experiences?

Saturday, June 1, 2013

BED SHARING: YAY OR NAY?

I read an article by James Brean that claims that a new study  found that “Parents who share a bed with their baby are exposing it to a fivefold increase in the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, even without any other risk factor such as smoking or alcohol.” (http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/21/bed-sharing-raises-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome-fivefold-new-study/) . This put the fear of God in me because I am currently bed sharing with my 4-month old; why? You may ask, simply because he refuses to sleep in his crib and mama needs her sleep.

This topic is constantly being debated among parents and medical professionals. In my opinion bed sharing carries as much risks of sudden infant death syndrome (sids) as laying a baby in his/her own bed; both this methods can be dangerous if not done properly. If you put a baby in a crib with teddies, loose blankets, pillows and bumpers; that carries the risk of suffocation. That goes for bed sharing as well;  if you surround the baby with pillows, blankets and are intoxicated and a deep sleeper; then you are putting your child's life in danger. Furthermore, SIDS is"marked by the sudden death of an infant that is not predicted by medical history and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and detailed death scene investigation." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome). SIDS is unexplained, the moment you find a cause of death, then that's not SIDS, it then becomes death by suffocation for instance.

Parents who bed share argue that in third world countries, babies share a bed with their siblings and parents   with no harm coming to them. I was raised in Africa and most parents do share a bed with their babies from the day they are born; either due to lack of room in their household or down to personal choice. As a breastfeeding mum, it is definitely convenient to have your baby next to you; it makes night time feedings less stressful . To conclude, bed sharing can be risky if parents do not follow proper safety procedure; therefore, proceed with caution. What are your thoughts on bed sharing?


References
Brean, J., Bed sharing raises risk of sudden infant death syndrome fivefold: new study, http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/21/bed-sharing-raises-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome-fivefold-new-study/

Wikipedia, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome