Peer to Peer support groups have the added benefit of expecting, new and long time parents addressing barriers to breastfeeding. We talk about how things are going ‘today’ week to week, and help understand what may be common vs normal. A Certified Lactation Consultant leads the group and can offer technical guidance, recommend any referral connections in the community, offer latching assessments, and provide evidence-based breastfeeding education.

Support group attendance is free due to funding received through the Chaffee County Breastfeeding Coalition.

Benefits of breastfeeding help with optimal health for both mother and baby both in the short and long term. For mom, breastfeeding can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. In addition, abreastfeeding mothers have reported a reduced perception of stress. Mothers can feed their babies on the go without worrying about having to mix formula or prepare bottles. If you plan to travel there are several tips you can learn to make traveling feel just as seamless as being at home.

Evidence shows that any amount of breastmilk is beneficial – even if only for a short period of time. As the baby grows, the mother’s breast milk will change to meet her baby’s nutritional needs. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to 2 years of age or longer.
Breastfeeding can help protect babies against some short- and long-term illnesses and diseases. Also, breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and SIDS. Breastfed babies are less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs. Did you know the components in breastmilk support a healthier gut? This is because breastfed babies have higher levels of beneficial gut bacteria and healthier growth patterns than babies who are not breastfed. A healthier gut sets an optimal path for mental and physical development the first critical years of life. 

For many reasons, not all parents are able to nurse their babies or produce enough milk to meet their needs. For example, they may have latching problems and pain (reach out to an IBCLC or CLC!) or medical complications. They may need to return to work early and choose not to breastfeed due to challenges around pumping and the work environment. Some babies are adopted and the parents don’t have access to breastmilk. With the many reasons in mind, you can consider donor breast milk from a verified donor milk bank. There are also several well-known milk-sharing networks on the internet that have established protocols to help potential donors connect with those who are in need of milk. Here’s a list of questions for recipients to ask potential donors.

One of several studies revealed that parents of infants who were breastfed in the evening and/or at night slept an average of 40-45 minutes more than parents of infants given formula. Here is another medical article about nighttime breastfeeding behavior.
Breastfeeding at night ensures an optimal milk supply and breastfeeding journey length, as each time baby empties the breast there are hormones triggered to create more milk. Empty the breast to create more milk!
Breastsleeping is defined as mother and child sleeping together and nursing throughout the night. Various educational materials have been written by numerous research professionals in the mother-baby-sleep and human milk research fields. Use this information to become informed on biologically normal and evidence-based information to make choices that are the best fit for you and your family. You can also talk with an IBCLC or CLC experienced in this subject.
Keeping baby in the same room as mother following safe cosleeping practices can help preserve your breastmilk volume, your breastfeeding journey length, baby and mom are more rested, and can help meet weight goals. In addition, sleeping in close proximity in the same room reduces SIDS risk.
It can be helpful to understand what is normal in biologically normal infant sleep. Be mindful that some societal influences may make one believe that baby sleep is a problem to fix or train. While often what is actually occurring is developmentally and biologically normal for a human child. Review current research papers on infant and child sleep behavior or talk to an IBCLC or CLC that is experienced with infant brain development and normal infant sleep.

If you have concerns about your baby’s growth or how much milk they are taking, talk to your doctor but also be sure to include an IBCLC or CLC in your investigation. This is because some doctors do not partner with an IBCLC or CLC, and they are not required to have the hours, exams and training in lactation that IBCLCs and CLCs have. Lactation Consultants can assist you with measuring baby’s milk intake, determine how many ounces per day are needed to meet weight goals, and they can help you with solutions to breastfeeding challenges.