Clinics provide support for breastfeeding mothers
Toronto walk-in centres give moms confidence about babies’ well-being
Rebecca Askew knows it’s important to go to a professional for expert advice. After all, she’s a professional herself, a corporate lawyer, who worked before and after the birth of her daughter, Elle, two years ago.
So, when Askew wanted expert advice about breastfeeding her twins Evan and Avery, now 4 weeks old, she went to the Toronto Public Health Breastfeeding Clinic near her home in Etobicoke.
“This clinic is a walk-in, so I can go when I need to,” she explains. “I can have a quick visit and get the information I need. The clinic gives you that flexibility. And it gives you the confidence and reassurance that the babies are growing and developing.
“When you’re sleep-deprived, it’s sometimes hard to assess that on your own. I sleep in two-hour chunks.”
The Etobicoke clinic is one of 15 in Toronto supporting expectant women and new mothers. That number grew from just three in 2011, under the guidance of registered nurse So-Yan Seto, manager of TPH healthy families.
Now, more than 8,000 visits have been logged by Toronto women receiving one-to-one support for breastfeeding and infant development, almost triple the number who were seen by TPH staff in 2011.
“Getting new moms out, breaking the isolation, weighing the babies, having them interact with other moms and learn about other services” are all advantages of the drop-in clinics, says Seto.
“On an ongoing, drop-in basis, we provide advice, an opportunity to check their breastfeeding technique, and offer access to public health nurses and a lactation consultant or a nurse practitioner.”
One of the main attractions of the clinics for new and anxious mothers who are breastfeeding is a simple, old-fashioned piece of technology: the baby scale.
“It’s reassuring to know that they are growing and gaining weight,” says Askew.
With bottles, it’s easy to gauge how much milk a baby is getting, she says, “When you’re breastfeeding, you don’t know how much milk you’re giving them.”
Askew was pleased at a recent clinic visit to learn that daughter Avery, who was 5 lbs., 10 oz. at birth, now weighs 7 lbs. Her brother Evan, who was 5 lbs., 5 oz. at birth, has grown to 6 lbs., 9 oz.
“Having it checked out really helps,” says their 34-year-old mother, who usually feeds both babies at once. “It gives you confidence. “They want to know if what they’re doing is right,” says public health nurse Elizabeth Emeru, who works at the Etobicoke clinic and breastfed both her children, who are now 19 and 11. The most frequent question is, “How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk?” She points out mothers who are confident their babies are getting enough milk and thriving are more likely to continue breastfeeding. And that, says Seto, is best for everybody. “It’s such a crucial way to support healthy babies’ growth and development,” she says. “Breast milk contains the nutrients for optimum growth, reduces risk of diarrhea, SIDS, and, later on, obesity.” “And it helps the mom to decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and breast and ovarian cancer.” That’s why Jennifer Sanchioni, mother of 6-month-old Sophie, is passionate about the TPH clinic. “When you’re a new mom and going through all the stresses of all that, breastfeeding can be quite challenging. It was more challenging for me than pregnancy and having the baby.” “You have all these emotions and questions, and the nurses are very kind and reassuring and very knowledgeable. They take the time to listen and watch you feed the baby. “And even though they specialize in breastfeeding, I had lots of questions about what’s normal for the baby with respect to sleeping and behaviour, and they didn’t shy away from support for that as well. “They’re the reason I didn’t give up in the first few months and why I’m still breastfeeding my daughter today.”