With new parenthood comes endless questions about caring for a baby. One of the most important decisions moms encounter is what feeding style to choose. Whether they prefer breastfeeding or bottlefeeding, Capital Region Medical Center is dedicated to helping moms along the way.
Capital Region offers two certified lactation consultants for those choosing to breastfeed. Angie Stonner and Miriam Hardesty, both registered nurses, provide advice, tools and resources to help moms become successful at breastfeeding.
Two Capital Region patients, who had both committed to breastfeeding their newborns, got help from the lactation consultants to succeed in their goals. Here, they share their experiences.
Liz and Adeline
Liz Rackers thought she would be a successful breastfeeding mother from the get-go, but that wasn’t the case. She had always planned on breastfeeding, an outlook that her husband, Andrew, shared. But after giving birth to their daughter, Adeline, she wasn’t producing milk. At the same time, Adeline was having problems latching.
Determined to breastfeed, Rackers worked with Stonner while she was in the hospital.
“Angie showed me different techniques to elicit milk production, including using my pump,” she says. “When my milk finally came in, Adeline was having a hard time latching because of her lip position. Angie was able to show me ways to promote the latch while I was in the hospital so I felt prepared to do it on my own after I was discharged.”
‘Proud mom moment’
In the month that followed, Rackers found that her daughter was continuing to struggle with her latch. She sought help from Stonner, who showed her the benefits of a specific feeding technique that ensured Adeline was receiving proper nutrients while breastfeeding.
Now, Rackers gladly passes along this advice to her friends when they are seeking guidance for their newborns: “Breastfeeding is definitely worth the time and effort. There’s nothing like that ‘proud mom moment’ when you are providing the main source of nutrients for your little one.”
“I am very lucky to have a supportive spouse who helped and encouraged me through the entire process,” she says.
Katie and Benjamin
“I always knew I wanted to breastfeed,” Katie Willis says. “My husband, Kevin, and I had a plan B to use formula, but I really wanted to try everything to make nursing work.”
After giving birth to their sweet baby boy, Benjamin, her milk came in very quickly and abundantly. Willis recalls having to pump her excess supply the first night in the hospital.
“I was lucky that my supply was good and my milk was coming in, but as a tiny newborn, Benjamin had a very difficult time latching on,” she says.
When babies can latch properly, they are able to feed more efficiently and cause less discomfort to the mother. While Willis was in the hospital, Stonner came to assist. She showed her proper positioning and techniques to ensure a good latch.
Great consultations
In the weeks that followed, Willis faced another nursing challenge—she developed mastitis. Mastitis is a breast tissue infection that results in breast pain, swelling, warmth and redness. It can lead mothers to wean their baby too early, but continuing breastfeeding while taking antibiotics for mastitis is better for the mother and baby.
Willis followed up with Stonner at Capital Region Physicians – Pediatric Clinic, where Stonner was providing breastfeeding consultations to new parents.
During the consultation, Stonner helped her learn techniques to continue to nurse through the mastitis until it cleared up. Although Stonner took leave to care for a newborn of her own, Willis was able to continue her consultation appointments with Hardesty.
“The consultation was great. Before Benjamin was born, we attended the breastfeeding classes, which helped us prepare, but the one-on-one help proved invaluable,” Willis says. “I really felt like both consultants provided tips and tools I could use on my own. Now I feel confident I can continue nursing successfully as long as I choose to do so.”
“I encourage any breastfeeding mom or mom-to-be who plans to breastfeed to always know they have support beyond their friends and family—right around the corner at Capital Region,” she adds.
Willis also encourages new moms to not throw in the towel before they have met with the lactation consultants at Capital Region.
“Being a new mom or the mom of an additional child is tough,” she says, “but having the right keys to success from the experts at Capital Region makes your life a little less stressful and boosts your confidence that you can do it.”
Learn more
To schedule an appointment with a lactation consultant, call 573.632.5525.
For breastfeeding questions or concerns, call the Breastfeeding Warm Line at 573.632.5333.