Honey
I missed my session #TitbitsTUESDAY but I still want to blog about prenatal hand expression and it's benefits. It's my mission for each LOW RISK pregnant honey to try prenatal hand expression during their 38-39 week of pregnancy leading into learning another tip called breast compressions.
At this point if you're birthing in a hospital you don't really have a choice but to put this your breastfeeding plan to learn this artful technique if you want to avoid supplementation of formula.
Learning to breastfeed takes time. Time that is just not afforded to you after the delivery of your babee.
Remember honey, Black women are offered formula 9x more often than any other demographic during their hospital day. That means most Black babees are not receiving full colostrum or human milk or be exclusively breastfed when they arrive home. ANY supplementation of formula decreases your chances of breastfeeding past 6-8 weeks.
There are studies that suggest antenatal expression after completing 37 weeks of gestation significantly improves postpartum lactation by early establishment of plentiful milk secretion.
Hand expression preps the breasts, milk ducts and mammary glands for breastfeeding while also giving you a boost of confidence in feeding your infant and maintaining milk production.
Mothers reportedly stating that their milk volume increased significantly on day one and two opposed to the normal three day delay.
When hand expression is taught prenatally many honeys I've worked with have experienced less stress with initiation feeding when their babee arrives because they know how to remove the milk to one, feed their babee while manually fueling the next phase of milk.
It has been well documented that hospitals use the dreaded fear of losing their babee to coerce families into practices they perceive they have no control over. Weight loss is normal most healthy term births.
The sole responsibility of feeding is often placed on newborns socially. And in turn mothers perceive the famous appetite for drops of colostrum unfulfilling and feel they aren't making enough milk fast enough for their babee just as soon as the first day of life.
Colostrum is the first milk.
Colostrum is milk.
Colostrum is enough.
Studies also show a reduction on postpartum breastfeeding failures too when new mothers utilize hand expression in the early days of breastfeeding.
So how will you prepare them honey?!
Fuel the next phase of breast milk sooner...
Increase your milk supply up to 130%in the fourth trimester by learning now in your pregnancy.
If you're at LEAST 38 weeks AND LOW RISK it's time to start adding expression to your birth plan.
Get your Breast Friend Kit today!!
