CRMC-West 214 E. 23 St. Cheyenne, WY 82001
CRMC-East 2600 E. 18 St. Cheyenne, WY 82001
Health & Fitness 1620 E. Pershing, Cheyenne, WY 82001

(307) 634-CARE

Breastfeeding

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center's Family Birth Center offers lactation support to all breastfeeding mothers, including one-on-one attention to new mothers, ensuring they are comfortable with breastfeeding.

This information is not a substitute for an informed discussion with a healthcare provider.

The lactation program also provides both inpatient and outpatient consultations, as well as offering a breastfeeding Warm Line. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant or Lactation Educator is available to answer any questions or concerns related to breastfeeding by calling the Warm Line at 307-699-7896.

Lactation products at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center are supplied by Ameda and Medela, both of which are the nation's leading lactation resource companies. The facility is equipped with breast pumps (which are available for rent) and related products. There is a baby scale for doing weight checks and a comfortable chair for mothers to sit on when nursing their infant during consultations.

Patti Gardner, CNM, IBCLC, oversees the service. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife and has worked with breastfeeding mothers since 1989.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call Patti Gardner at 307-633-7896.

Services

• During the postpartum hospital stay, one-on-one support and counseling as well as informative literature.
• The Warmline: Breastfeeding Telephone Support (307) 633-7896;
• Le Leche League breastfeeding support group: 2nd Thursday of the month, 9:45 AM. Contact Marguerite Herman at 307-638-1468 for more information.
• Breastfeeding Room for expressing, pumping or feeding a baby. Located in the Special Care Nursery, 5th floor, CRMC-West
• Pump rental available on site.

Breastfeeding
There are so many great reasons to breastfeed babies. Cheyenne Regional Medical Center is committed to doing everything possible to encourage mothers to enhance their babies' nutritional, emotional and intellectual development through breastfeeding.

Breast milk is the best food for your baby and is recommended for feeding your baby for the first year of life. Breastfeeding is also good for you.

The fundamental needs of newborns and children are the same everywhere. Breastfeeding and breastmilk have unique abilities to protect children from diseases, infections, and allergies and has positive effects on development. But depending upon whether babies are born in developing or industrialized areas, they may derive different benefits from among the many that breastfeeding has to offer.

Some of the advantages for mother include:

Breastfeeding is associated with a decreased risk of ovarian cancer. This protection increases as the duration of breastfeeding increases. Two years or more of total breastfeeding experience reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by 70%.

Breastfeeding is associated with a decreased risk in pre-menopausal breast cancer. 13 to 24 months of total breastfeeding time reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer by 34%.

Breastfeeding is associated with a decreased risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Some of the advantages for infants and children include:

Fewer infectious illness. In the developed world breastfeeding provides less dramatic, but still very significant protection from infectious illness. In particular, breastfeeding is associated with a decreased incidence of gastroenteritis, meningitis, respiratory infections, otitis media and urinary tract infections.

Breastfeeding provides protection against allergic disease, in particular, eczema, asthma and food allergy. This protection is increased by exclusive breastfeeding for 4-6 months, with delayed introduction of solids until six months.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The New Zealand Cot Death Study demonstrated an association between not breastfeeding and increased incidence of sudden infant death syndrome.

Breastfeeding is associated with a decreased risk of some childhood cancers.

Breastfeeding provides protection against insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. One study demonstrated that greater than 12 months of breastfeeding reduced the risk of diabetes by 50%.

Breastfeeding provides protection against both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Breastfeeding is associated with a reduction in the risk of retinopathy of prematurity and the potentially fatal condition neonatal necrotising enterocolitis, both of which affect can affect premature infants.

Breastfeeding is associated with higher IQ scores in children who were breastfed.

Breastfeeding provides some protection against the later development of adolescent obesity.

Increasing duration of breastfeeding is associated with decreasing risk of later need for braces or other orthodontic treatment.

There is less gastro-oesophageal reflux in breastfed infants than formula fed infants.

Children who develop acute appendicitis are less likely to have been breastfed.

Because of the proven protective benefits of breastfeeding against respiratory illness, it is not surprising that breastfeeding is also associated with a reduced need for tonsillectomy.

Prolonged breastfeeding is associated with a decreased risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

Being breastfed as an infant is associated with a decreased risk of later development of breast cancer.

And for the Community…

Increased morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) associated with formula feeding is associated with an enormous economic burden for the community. It has been estimated that universal exclusive breastfeeding for 12 weeks in the United States would create a cost saving to the health care system of 3.96 billion dollars annually.

Breastfeeding also protects the environment. Breast milk is one of the few foods produced and delivered to the consumer without any pollution, unnecessary packaging or waste.

To ensure a successful breastfeeding experience…

• Breastfeed as soon as possible....within the first hour is preferable. If you used medication during during labor and delivery, breastfeeding may take longer to get started. Colostrum, the milk produced by mothers is the first few days after giving birth provides a baby with it's first immunization against infections and diseases.
• Request that the hospital lactation consultant or nursing staff demonstrate a couple of positions and check to see that your baby is latching on well. That way, you can go home from the hospital recognizing a good latch and proper positioning.
• You and your baby should room in together. There is no reason for healthy mothers and babies to be separated from each other, even for short periods. Keep your baby with you!
• Keep your baby with you so you can breastfeed when your baby first seems hungry. Babies breastfeed best then. You will learn to read your baby's hunger cues also!
• Avoid bottles and pacifiers, ESPECIALLY if your baby isn't nursing well.
• Do not let your baby sleep through feedings in the early days. If your baby is not awake and wanting to feed, wake him/her if 3 to 4 hours have passed since the last feeding.
• Ask for help to make sure you are holding and latching your baby correctly.

Getting into the correct position is important. Follow these steps…

• Baby's nose and mouth need to be directly in front of your nipple.
• Turn your baby's tummy so it faces your tummy and tuck your baby in close to you. It will feel almost as if your baby is wrapped around you.
• Stroke your baby's lower lip with your nipple.
• When your baby opens wide bring him on to your nipple, hugging him/her to your breast.
• When a baby is latched on correctly, you will see that his mouth is open wide around the areola (the darker area), not just on your nipple with his/her lips turned outward.
• You will feel a gentle pressure or tug when the baby sucks. You may hear your baby swallowing.

How often should I feed my breastfed baby?

You get lots of advice as a new parent about when to feed your baby and for how long. It can sometimes be difficult to know what to do. Here are the basics! A newborn breastfed baby needs to eat at least 8-10 times every 24 hours. It is not unusual to have to wake a sleeping baby for feedings for several days. You may find that your baby "cluster feeds" which means that your baby will feed several times over a few hours and then sleep for an extended period of time (4-5 hours). This is normal and ok. If you are lucky enough to have a baby that cluster feeds during the day and rests for longer periods at night then great! The more your baby breastfeeds, the more milk your body makes. Don't limit your baby at the breast--feed as long as your baby will. Burp your baby by gently rubbing or patting his/her back. Then offer the other breast.

Your first milk is called colostrum. It has all the nourishment your baby needs. Your mature milk will "come in" within 2-5 days after birth. During that time, let your baby nurse as often and spend as much time at the breast as he/she will. Avoid using bottles or pacifiers since rubber nipples teach your baby to suck in a different way which can be confusing for the baby. Remember, you have a supply and demand system-your body will make the milk you need for your baby. Adding infant formula to your baby's diet will interfere with your milk supply.

How do you know if your baby's getting enough milk?
In the first few days and weeks, some mothers worry that their baby isn't getting enough milk. There are ways to tell if your baby's getting enough.

• Is your baby having 6 or more wet diapers every 24 hours?
• Is your baby having yellow, seedy bowel movements?
• Is your baby feeding at least 8 times every 24 hours?
• Can you hear your baby swallowing at your breast?

If you do not see these signs and your baby is five days old, contact your lactation consultant or health care provider. It may be helpful to keep a breast a breastfeeding diary to record this information four the first four to five days after delivery.

During growth spurts (your baby will have 3 by the age of 6 weeks), your baby is growing and will want to breastfeed more often. Growth spurts may cause him/her to be fussy and seem very hungry and unsatisfied. This is natures way of building up your milk supply to meet your growing baby's needs. Relax and feed your baby!

Get rest whenever you can, eat when you are hungry, and drink when you are thirsty. If you don't feel well or something hurts, talk to your lactation consultant or health care provider.

For additional information, try these web sites:

• La Leche League www.lalecheleague.org
• www.breastfeeding.com (they have great video clips!)
• www.ameda.com
• www.medela.com
• Pro Mom www.promom.org
• American Academy of Pediatrics www.aap.org
• World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action www.waba.org.br
• Mothering Magazine www.mothering.com
• Baby-Friendly USA www.babyfriendlyusa.org
• www.lactations.com
• www.nimh.nih.gov
• www.4woman.gov
• www.storknet.com
• Bright Future Lactation Resource Center (BFLRC) www.bflrc.com
• www.lamaze-childbirth.com
• www.compleatmother.com
• www.bestfed.com
• www.bonappetitbaby.com
• www.breastfeeding.org

(307) 633-7896
Breastfeeding Warm Line

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