We continue, as we did the previous weeks, talking with specialists who tell us about the needs of mothers and babies and primary health care. Today comes the turn of interview Graci Ariza, lactation and maternity consultant.
Grazi Ariza She is the mother of two children, a three-year-old child and a three-month-old baby. Her work as a lactation and maternity consultant, in addition to her experience as a mother, makes what she will explain to us very interesting. You will also be interested in mothers who do not breastfeed your children, because it has very beautiful words for you.
What is your job as a lactation and maternity consultant?
Among all the work and activities I do in my life, the one that fills me the most and that I enjoy most is being a lactation consultant, so that from my experience as a mother and my training as an advisor, I can support all mothers and families who need it with their doubts about breastfeeding, motherhood and parenting. It is a hard task but full of satisfactions. Currently I also do this work on my page Lactandoamando and in an online support group.
Is there a magic formula for breastfeeding to work?
The truth is that there are no magic formulas that guarantee successful breastfeeding. However, I do believe that the best method for breastfeeding to work is one that includes full support for the nursing mother and allows the normalization of that breastfeeding. Mother-to-mother support is essential within that tribe that mothers form, and also of the family and of the whole society.
What does it mean to normalize breastfeeding?
Normalizing that breastfeeding means that we will make mothers feel that breastfeeding is normal, so that they feel confident about themselves and their ability as mammals to feed their children, that everyone (family, environment and health professionals) ) know how to support these mothers in their decision to breastfeed, so that no mother should feel bad about breastfeeding in front of another person or feel alone because they criticize their decision to breastfeed their children. When breastfeeding normalizes and the culture of "the tit" is again present in our society, then we will have more lasting and satisfactory lactations.
How can we help mothers who have not been able to breastfeed to feel good if they are sad for that reason or because of negative pressures or comments?
We must start from the basis that breastfeeding is not a "whole", but one more part of motherhood and child rearing. There is no doubt that breastfeeding is normal and the best for our children, especially if we talk in defense, how it protects them and their nutritional value. It is also a powerful tool to create a good emotional relationship and secure attachment between mother and child, but it is not the only one.
It is clear that mothers who do not breastfeed can also provide secure attachment.
Of course. We can give love, secure attachment and affection to our children in many ways: we can provide them with that emotional well-being and make them happy by hugging them, kissing them, treating them with respect, taking them into account in our day-to-day lives, spending time with them and attending to their emotional needs. as they need. No mother should feel sad or less a mother for trying to breastfeed and not having succeeded. Motherhood is already quite hard, and we are quite questioned enough to also think that she is a worse mother for not being able to breastfeed.
For our children we will always be the best mother in the world. It will not matter if we have breastfed or bottle fed, because breastfeeding does not make you a better mother, it is no guarantee of anything.
We leave for today the interview with the lactation and maternity consultant Graci Ariza. Tomorrow we will continue talking with her about the pressures that mothers and fathers suffer in their upbringing and will give us their advice to feel more secure in that process.
