Malta breast feeding information

[ 0 ] 22/01/2014 |

Baby breastfeedingIn this post you will find info on how to deal with breast feeding problems and who to contact for help.

Mummy’s milk is best for the baby as for the calf is cow’s milk. It’s free, available on demand, protects from various illnesses, provides the baby with all nutritious elements needed, boosts baby’s immune system, easier to digest, helps mummy get faster into shape, no crying and waiting time when the baby needs it. The last one also results in better night sleep, even if it’s scattered, since mummy doesn’t need to get up, wake up fully, prepare a bottle and lose her sleep. There are so many benefits that it is worth to really try to make it.

If in the process, for any reason, ranging from physical to psychological, a mummy finds that she cannot nurse, that’s OK. The most important thing for the well being of a baby is a happy mummy in good condition. But if you can and are determined to do so, be prepared that the most natural thing in the world can be very challenging in the beginning.

IF you want to breastfeed but you suffer from minor or bigger issues during the first days and weeks, do not just concede defeat. And if you baby loses weight within the first days, that’s also normal. Breastfed babies lose up to 10% (normal) weight by the time they leave the hospital. In that case you do not need to top up with formula – this will interfere with the establishment of breastfeeding! Beware of friends and relatives, even professionals, who might give you conflicting advice that might be wrong and might leave you confused.
Also, pediatricians are not trained nor specialized in the subject and they quite often will just give you the standard response, formula, instead of referring you to a lactation consultant.

For instance, a mummy told me that at 4 months her baby started being more fussy, demanding more milk, and a pediatrician told her she needs to top up with formula cause she doesn’t have enough milk. Well, excuse me, but this is wrong. At 4 months breast feeding is well established, and when the baby is fuzzy and spends more time on the breast, it does that so more milk is produced. That is the process. If your baby needs more milk, it will make it happen by spending more time on your breast! If you top up with formula, the body does no longer take the signal to produce more, assumes it’s not needed, and the result is lower milk production. This mummy wanted to continue breast feeding but because of wrong info she ended up giving up completely and switching to formula cause she did end up not producing enough.

So whom should you contact and ask for expert information on breastfeeding? ONLY LACTATION CONSULTANTS are specialized on nursing problems, and I would recommend you also do your own research.

Resources:
1) Breast feeding walk-in clinic at Mater Dei. It’s free of charge and the midwives there are lactation experts who can help you with all your concerns. You can take your baby with you and just go there. They can show you techniques, evaluate your nursing technique, check the well being of the baby, and literally help you with anything needed. They are very nice midwives, from various countries, and polite.

Info taken from www.ehealth.gov.mt 
The breast feeding walk- in clinic is a clinic run by midwives to help new mothers with breast feeding. This clinic is led by head midwife Ms. Helen Borg. The clinic is found on the first floor of the Outpatients Department. Mothers may drop in on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8am and 1 pm, and between 3.30pm and 6pm, no appointments are necessary during these days. On other days, mothers are asked to call 2545 4445 or 2545 4447 to make an appointment so a midwife can assist the mother. The midwives in this clinic also visit the Obstetric Wards, to offer support to new mothers with breast feeding and also to discuss any difficulties that these mothers may have.

NOTE: if urgent, just go there without an appointment during the time they are open. They will accept you. I went there on a Wednesday morning, no appointment, no problem.

2) An independent breastfeeding consultant, Melissa Bugeja, who is currently studying to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and who actually breastfed for 4 years!  She assists mothers through courses, workshops, support groups and home visits and I personally trust her.  You can find her at www.breastfeedingmatters.net and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/breastfeedingmatters/ . She wrote this article for MaltaMum.

3) Association of breast feeding counselors in Malta. Click here for their contact details and here to read experiences of other breast feeding mummies in Malta.

4) One of the best resources I have found online about breast feeding is Kelly Mom where you can find tons of expert advice, backed up with proper research, for almost any kind of question you might have.

5) Another good online resource is La Leche League International.

6) The book What to expect the first year. In this book I found better tips on breastfeeding than during the Parent Craft course.


*Click here if you would like to read my experience with breast feeding.

Category: Resources for Malta Mums

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