Once your baby is born, one of the first things he or she will need to do is eat. The CDC reports that about 83.5% of mothers start out breastfeeding their newborn babies. But by 3 months of age, less than 50% of babies are exclusively breastfed and less than 40% of babies are exclusively breastfed at 12 months. Any amount of breastfeeding is beneficial as it,
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- protects babies from infections and diseases.
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- can build a strong bond between mother and baby.
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- reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
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- can help reduce the risk of childhood obesity.
- Lowers the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.
Breastfeeding Hangups
But, for some women, breastfeeding is no easy task. It’s time-consuming and the baby is solely dependent on the mother as it’s a source of nourishment. Many women who stop breastfeeding cite fatigue or worry about milk supply as their top reasons. Some women have difficulty with breastfeeding for the following reasons:
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- hard time getting baby to latch
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- experiencing sore nipples
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- think they have a low milk supply
- worry their baby isn’t gaining enough weight
Most hospitals have a lactation consultant on staff to help new mothers with breastfeeding. But what happens after mom and baby get home and things still aren’t working out? Starting in August, Pediatric Care Group will welcome Angela Wang, M.D. to the team, who is a certified lactation consultant.
Talking to Your Child’s Pediatrician About Breastfeeding
You’re going to bring your baby to see your pediatrician a lot in those first few years.
- The first-week visit (3 to 5 days old)
- 1 month old
- 2 months old
- 4 months old
- 6 months old
- 9 months old
- 12 months old
- 15 months old
- 18 months old
- 2 years old (24 months) and beyond
While you’re spending all of that time talking about the health of your baby, you can also talk to our new lactation consultant, Angela Wang, M.D. about your breastfeeding needs and concerns. Dr. Wang graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine, PA. and completed her residency in pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Pennsylvania.
Moms don’t have to feel like they’re on this breastfeeding journey on their own. We fully support breastfeeding at Pediatric Care Group and want to do all we can to foster a successful and confident breastfeeding relationship between mothers and their babies.
If you’re a breastfeeding mom and want advice, help, or support from our lactation consultant, Angela Wang, M.D., come in and see us!