Breastfeeding Support

Most women who stop breastfeeding in the early weeks would have been able to succeed if only they had the right advice and support. Many do not realize that help is actually available, or end up following wrong advice from friends, family and healthcare professionals.At Parentwood we are passionate about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding carry many benefits for both mother and baby. Although there may be some difficulty in the beginning, the long term rewards of persevering will make it all worthwhile.

Common breastfeeding questions and concerns can be addressed at our weekly Postnatal Classes and in our Lactation Consultations. Our practice also has two Certified Lactation Consultants who can assist mothers needing more in-depth and specialized assessment and support.

Read more on our other breastfeeding initiatives below. For queries or to make a booking, contact Christine Klynhans on 072 490 7386 or Marcelle du Toit on 082 824 8203.

If you suspect that you are not managing well, see help as early as possible. This service involves:

• A 90 minute visit at the cost of R580, which is covered in part by some medical aids Like Discovery Health and Medihelp (note: although we claim directly for our other services, you need to pay upfront and send the invoice to your medical aid for lactation visits. These claims need to be assessed manually by the medical aid in order for it to be deducted from your benefits and not your savings)
• A thorough history taking of mom and baby to identify possible causes of problems
• Examination of mom’s breasts and nipples
• A general physical examination of baby, including baby’s weight and the anatomy of baby’s mouth (to assess for a tongue or lip tie)
• Assessment of baby’s latch and how well baby is drinking
• Assistance in establishing a proper milk supply
• Advice on managing sore nipples, engorgement and other difficulties
• Advice on general breastfeeding queries like how to know baby is drinking enough, diet while breastfeeding, colic and crying, sleep, a realistic breastfeeding routine and long-term breastfeeding goals
• Referral to other healthcare professionals where necessary

Expressing breast milk allows mothers to continue breastfeeding when they are unable to put baby onto the breast directly for whichever reason. Many women consider this option when going back to work. Your expressing success is to a large degree dependent on a good quality breast pump. But these are expensive and the same pump won’t work for all mothers. Parentwood hosts an All Things Breastfeeding Breast Pump Demo Centre where moms have the opportunity to obtain expert advice and to test different breast pumps. Visit www.allthingsbreastfeeding.co.za for more information.

We have two breastfeeding workshops presented on a monthly basis.

• Antenatal Labour and Birth Workshop – This Saturday workshop addresses the start of breastfeeding, and is worth attending to help you prepare for labour, birth and the early weeks of motherhood. Click here to read more on the content and booking information.
• Going Back to Work and Breastfeeding – Many women would like to continue breastfeeding when their maternity leave is over, but feel so overwhelmed by this seemingly impossible task that they don’t try. Yet with the right tools and information it is not nearly as difficult as you may think. This workshop covers it all, from choosing a breast pump to storing milk and knowing how much milk to leave for your baby. You have the option to attend it at one of our Postnatal Classes or as an online workshop through All Things Breastfeeding.  Give it a try! You may just surprise yourself.