On Breastfeeding and Birth Plans (Week 35)

Why I Chose to Breastfeed
It was quite early into my pregnancy that I decided that I would breastfeed my baby. I had two reasons for choosing this: a) vanity, and b) miserliness. First, breastfeeding will help me to lose weight more quickly than if I formula feed. Believe it or not, you need to take in more calories when you're breastfeeding (up to 500 calories per day) than when you're pregnant (200-300 calories per day). That's because when you're breastfeeding, a lot of calories you take in are diverted to creating breast milk for the baby. Also, breastfeeding encourages your uterus to contract to its original size more quickly than if you don't. That satisfies my vanity quite nicely.

As far as miserliness is concerned, that is more obvious: breastfeeding is a lot cheaper than buying formula, which can cost up to $250 a month.

My Visit to a Breastfeeding Clinic
Today I made a visit to a breastfeeding clinic to learn all I could about how to breastfeed. Hearing the stories of the pain and frustration experienced by other moms I know during their first few weeks of trying to breastfeed, I wanted to make sure I was aware of all my options.

I learned a lot, to say the least. At the clinic I got the chance to see some patients breastfeed their babies, and learned what to watch for in terms of signs of a good latch. I was also lectured on the ins and outs of  sore nipples, skin-to-skin contact, breast engorgement, and even how to tie a baby wrap around my body so that I can carry my baby hands-free (a great way to do chores, run errands, or simply go for a walk with the baby).

One thing they also made me aware of was how having a birth plan can help me stay in control of what happens to me at the hospital while I'm in labour, as well as what happens to me and my baby after delivery.

The Quick and Dirty of Creating a Birth Plan
The first question I asked myself was, "how do I know what I want to happen during my labour and delivery if I've never done it before?" The lactation specialist recommended that I seek out a doula to educate me about the process about labour and delivery, as well as coach me during the actual process. Again, being cheap, I had decided a while ago not to use the services of a midwife or a doula, so this didn't interest me too much.

So, I did what I always do: I did my own research. What I found was that I have a lot of choices that I can make at the hospital so that I am not confined to their regular procedures. The birth plan is also helpful to your partner to understand what it is that you want to happen. This is particularly useful because he or she can be your advocate when you are in the throes of childbirth, and not feeling very communicative. I am also going to talk to my obstetrician about my birth plan so that he can make further recommendations.

In general, some things for you to consider include:

• Hospital vs. home birth
• Vaginal vs. cesarean delivery
• Types of interventions you would like (or not like) to happen; e.g. pitocin, amniotomy, episiotomy
• Who you want to have around you; e.g. your partner, family, etc.
• The kinds of pain relief methods you'd like to employ; e.g. breathing techniques, massage, epidural
• You may want the option to walk around, drink and eat during labour
• The position in which you'd like to give labour--as opposed to the traditional "on your back" hospital position
• How you would like your baby fed: breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding

After writing my birth plan I feel a lot more confident about going into my last stage of pregnancy than I did before. I highly recommend empowering yourself by learning as much as you can, either through clinics, hospital workshops,hiring a midwife or doula, or simply do as much reading as you can.