Central Texas Birth Network Member Profile
March, 2008 - Dawn K. Martin, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Is it possible that a solid breastfeeding relationship between mother and child begins before the baby is even born? Dawn Martin thinks so. According to the Lactation Consultant, DONA certified birth and postpartum doula and Birthing from Within Mentor, successful lactation is greatly enhanced not only by quality prenatal education, but also by a positive birth experience, especially one that involves little intervention. In her daily work with women, Martin emphasizes the importance of inner wisdom and absolute confidence in the body’s amazing abilities during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.
Q: What is the most common mistake or misperception about breastfeeding that you encounter in your line of work?
A: The most common thing that I hear is, ‘I’m going to try to breastfeed.’ I think women don’t trust the innate wisdom of breastfeeding. Our species survived because breastfeeding works so well, and now there’s this idea that it won’t work for us. There is a mistrust in our culture. Then there’s the belief that breastfeeding hurts and the idea that it’s hit or miss, the idea that a woman’s milk might not be “good.”
Q: Do you feel that first-time mothers ever underestimate or oversimplify breastfeeding?
A: I think having a positive attitude is important, but there’s much more to it than ‘I have breasts and I have a baby.’ There are an awful lot of things that can interfere with (breastfeeding). If there are problems, well-meaning relatives will sometimes say, let’s just give the baby some formula, and it just doesn’t work that way. Also, many of us come from a generation of formula fed babies, and breastfeeding is a skill that’s passed on from mother to daughter. We’ve lost a lot of that. I was a formula fed baby so I couldn’t turn to my mom and say, what do I do? We don’t have a very good knowledge base, and it’s not something that we talk about in our culture. As a result, I think our daughters aren’t prepared. We’re not initiated into womanhood with stories, and we don’t go with our moms to births. There’s a huge amount of knowledge that has been lost in my opinion on both breastfeeding and birth.
Q: How do your lactation services work?
A: I do phone consults, office visits or home visits. Occasionally I have seen people in the hospital too. I also teach a prenatal breastfeeding basics class, and occasionally I’ll have someone call me during pregnancy for a consultation, but those are pretty rare. Lots of my lactation calls are people who are home from the hospital whose milk hasn’t come in or who have a baby who won’t latch or maybe a baby that is losing a lot of weight.
Q: What happens during a typical consultation?
A: I get a history, a naked weight of the baby using a Medela baby weight scale, and then I have the mother nurse the baby. That’s when we look at the latch and evaluate the baby’s oral cavity and make sure that everything is OK on the baby’s side. I also time the nursing and watch the baby’s behavior at the breast. Afterwards we re-weigh them to see what they took in. Then we come up with an individual plan for what comes next. I try to be available for follow-up for about three weeks by phone or email to see how things are going.
Q: Do insurance companies typically cover consultations?
A: There was a push in last legislative session to mandate that insurance companies cover Lactation Consultants. There’s not great reimbursement though. I once read in Mothering magazine that if we had a 100% breastfeeding initiation rate in this country, we would save close to three billion dollars in health care costs. It blows my mind that insurance companies don’t provide better support for breastfeeding and lactation services.
Q: What is the process for becoming a Lactation Consultant?
A: There are several different pathways. You don’t have to have a specific degree or be a nurse, but there are requirements for a certain amount of formal education coupled with direct experience, preferably with another IBCLC. You have to stay current and re-certify every five years. After ten years you must re-take the test.
Q: You’ve touched on the physical process of nursing, but what about the emotional component? Can positive or negative experiences with breastfeeding affect a mother’s emotions?
A: Sometimes it takes a lot in the early weeks to get breastfeeding on the right track, and it can get overwhelming for some moms. The hormonal shift makes it a really emotional time anyway. Having breastfeeding not going well can also contribute to baby blues or even postpartum depression, especially if the birth didn’t go exactly as planned.
Q: In your opinion, does the medical community adequately support and encourage breastfeeding?
A: There is a lot of really good lip service for it, and there are care providers who get it, but I think we have a lot of educating to do in the medical field. There are a lot of pediatricians who don’t make much distinction between formula fed babies and breastfed babies. It is a joy to work with providers who tell clients, you need to go see a Lactation Consultant. What is making a difference is mothers who are saying, I want to breast feed, and formula is not an acceptable answer. Women are becoming more determined to breastfeed.
Q: What about the American culture in general?
A: There are still times where women are asked not to breastfeed in public or to go into a restroom to breastfeed. I breastfed my children well into their childhood, but nobody ever said anything to me. It really surprises me when (a woman) is told not to breastfeed somewhere.
Q: How did breastfeeding benefit you personally?
A: It made me more in tune with my children. It helped me to learn their language.
Q:What are the benefits of breastfeeeding?
A: The benefits of breastfeeding for the mom include bonding, weight loss, protection against cancers like breast and ovarian, stronger bones, the ease of feeding -besides just always having it handy, think about natural disasters- and time savings. Antibodies found in colostrum protect against disease in the fragile infant. Mother's milk is the perfect food. For babies, breastfeeding promotes bonding, helps develop the fully intended IQ. There is also the benefit of decreased illnesses, dental caries, and allergies, both food and environmental. Other benefits include less childhood obesity, lower rates of childhood cancers and asthma and better jaw and facial muscle development. Breatsmilk is also much kinder to our environment than artifical baby milk. In most cases there is no packaging for breastmilk, no transporting and no resources dedicated to clean-up. There are benefits to employers too. When moms feel accomodated they are happier with their jobs and therefore more productive. Breastfed babies have fewer childhood illnesses, meaning mom or dad misses fewer days to care for a sick infant. Q: Do you think that every first time mother needs to talk to a Lactation Consultant?
A: Not necessarily, but I do think that every mom should get accurate information about breastfeeding. Some moms aren’t going to have any problems, especially if they’re buying the right books and reading the right websites. Having a partner around who’s supportive makes a huge difference too.
Q: Would you say that a woman’s willingness to follow her intuition and her degree of self-confidence are key factors of successful lactation?
A: Yes, and I believe that about birth and postpartum too. Women need to trust in their innate abilities. We have a deep knowing that we ignore. We’re afraid our bodies will fail us in birth or with breastfeeding. Women need to trust their bodies and their intuition. They know more than they give themselves credit for. They need to trust that knowing.
Dawn K. Martin has an office in the Birthwise birthing center, located in Austin,TX at 605 West St. John’s Avenue. She resides in Austin with her husband and four children, ages 5, 8, 13 and 15. Martin can be reached directly via email at dmartin36@austin.rr.com or by calling (512) 554-9144.
Julia Hockenberry is a writer, reporter and doula living in Marble Falls, TX. She studied vocal music at Florida State University and was a classical music announcer for WFDD radio in Winston Salem, NC before becoming a news radio anchor for WNAV radio in Annapolis, MD. Hockenberry has also written extensively for The Capital newspaper in Annapolis, MD, as well serving as a contributing writer to The River Cities Daily Tribune and The Highland Lakes Business Journal in Marble Falls. In addition to being a perpetual student in the dynamic fields of pregnancy and childbirth, Julia is married to her husband, Jay, and is mother to three children, Clara, Ben and Calvin.