FAIRMONT - They say "breast is best," but that doesn't necessarily mean it's easiest.
Breastfeeding, something that seems like it would come naturally to a new mother, can be physically painful and emotionally exhausting.
"Support is crucial," said Sue Wilken, former leader of a local Le Leche League, an international, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education, information and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed.
"It used to be a skill mothers handed down to their daughters, but then that broke down in the '20s and '30s when the bottle came and women went into the workforce," said Wilken, who has a wealth of information on the topic, from the history of breastfeeding to tips on how to prevent sore nipples and teach a baby latch on.
"Without Le Leche League, I would have given up," said Jean Parsley, who attended the Fairmont Le Leche League in the 1980s.
The local group has since disbanded, but as more information is published about the health benefits of breastfeeding versus formula, support for nursing mothers is growing at the grassroots level and in the health care industry.
Breastfeeding is generally acknowledged as the best option for newborns. According to the World Health Organization's website, www.who.int, "WHO can now say with full confidence that breastfeeding reduces child mortality and has health benefits that extend into adulthood. On a population basis, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is the recommended way of feeding infants, followed by continued breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods for up to two years or beyond."
Formula, however, continues to be a popular option. Baby formula maker Enfamil assures mothers on its website that they are not alone: "Nine out of 10 mothers use formula during their baby's first year."
But is that changing? Hospitals, at least, are starting to avoid a practice that many breast-feeding proponents believe has a negative impact on new mothers and their infants.
A study published recently in the Pediatrics journal, "Trends in US Hospital Distribution of Industry-Sponsored Infant Formula Sample Packs," found that "most U.S. hospitals continue to distribute industry-sponsored formula sample packs, but trends indicate a significant change in practice; increasing proportions of hospitals eliminate these packs."
That's a trend Wilken hopes to see continue. Sending formula home with women intent on breastfeeding only undermines their effort, she said, especially if a mother is struggling to nurse, and she did not receive the education and support she needs.
"If formula isn't there, and the mother says 'I have to just keep trying,' maybe she'll have a breakthrough and keep persevering," Wilken said, speaking from experience. "I did a lot of telephone counseling as a Le Leche leader. ... Six weeks is the learning period and then things settle down. It's all worth it, but it can be frustrating."
United Hospital District in Blue Earth stopped sending home diaper bags sponsored by formula companies a few years ago. Instead, the facility gives away a UHD bag with a T-shirt and a book about caring for a newborn.
"In the breastfeeding world, it's known as 'ban the bag,'" said Melissa Storbeck, a certified lactation counselor at UHD.
Storbeck is one of two lactation counselors on staff at UHD. She meets with the mothers while they are staying at the hospital and her colleague meets with them prior to their giving birth, and afterward when they bring their baby home.
"We give our moms a book called, 'Breast Feeding,' which is a great start. We talk about the anatomy of the breast and ... the physiology behind breastfeeding. We also talk about the different kinds of breast milk, the correct latch, newborn feeding cues, differing positioning. There's a lot of stuff we go over with moms, and we usually watch them breast feed," Storbeck said.
Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont is just in the process of revamping its breastfeeding services for mothers, according to Phyllis Hartwig, nurse manager of the BirthPlace.
The facility continues to send home formula-sponsored packs with parents, which include four little bottles of formula and coupons, but also a cooler, bottles and ice pack for storing breast milk. Hartwig said the packs are not sent home at all Mayo clinics, and she wouldn't be surprised if the tradition is phased out in Fairmont.
"We encourage breastfeeding to start," she said. "... We also encourage skin-to-skin contact, and rooming in, that's where we keep moms and babies together, and we provide couplet care, so mom and baby have the same nurse and are in the same room."
Currently, the Fairmont facility does not have a lactation counselor, but next year Hartwig plans to send two nurses to get their certification. She also said the Child Birth Education classes are expanding to offer parents more information on breast feeding, and a support group for nursing mothers is a resource the Mayo facility is working toward developing.
"Sometimes it's easier to ask questions with other women and their babies in the room," Hartwig said.
That's what Wilken found with Le Leche League: "Le Leche encouraged mothers to come to meetings before they had the baby. They did the reading, talked to other mothers who were nursing, and could sometimes actually see those mothers breastfeeding, and little by little they would learn," she said.
The nearest Le Leche League meets in Mankato and St. Peter, at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month. For more information, contact Rachel at (507) 382-9162, or Viktoria at (507) 642-8155.
