The ABCs of Breastfeeding
Before you can read, you learn your ABCs. When it came to breastfeeding, I acquired some knowledge through my medical training. However, for better or worse, the bulk of my knowledge base comes from my experiences breastfeeding my own three children.
My ABC journey started with the birth of C (my daughter Cassidy) in October 2014 when I was a fourth year medical student. We had our struggles with poor weight gain and painful latching, and it was many weeks until we got into a good rhythm.
When A (my son Asher) came along in May of 2017 while I was completing my pediatric residency, I felt more prepared for parenthood and our feeding journey together. But boy oh boy, that boy threw me for a loop. From the start, he liked different positions, had different feeding patterns, different preferences, HATED the swing his sister loved….
By the time B (my youngest, Bianca) was born, I was a board-certified practicing primary care pediatrician. I really thought I knew what I was doing. I was so ready. I completed residency. I was board-certified. I had done this twice before. Yet she was my most difficult child when it came to feeding and I required the most extensive support from some wonderful colleagues.
Every baby is different. Every experience a mother has feeding an infant is different. And I needed very different guidance and support for each of my children.
As a pediatrician, I owed it to my youngest of patients and their families to know more than my ABCs of breastfeeding and become fully literate. For this reason, I completed extensive additional training specifically geared towards breastfeeding medicine and lactation care, and I am committing to continuing to learn more through reviews of evidence based research and continuing medical education.
Join me as I continue to expand my expertise and enable moms to reach their breastfeeding goals.
