I think I was googling more during my pregnancy than during any exam period in my life. Everything caused questions: what to do and not to do, what is obligatory and what I can skip, what to check and what to ignore. All this inspired me to start this new column - Ask a Professional. I’m going to ask the professionals from the perinatal sphere a variety of questions any expecting or new mom can ask, and I want to share the information I get with you.
As August is #breastfeedingawarenessmonth, I want to start with an interview with Anne Klaegel - a lactation consultant currently based in Tbilisi.
- Dear Anne, let’s begin with your background and how long have you been in Georgia.
- I am a certified physiotherapist and lactation consultant. I have a three-year-old daughter and have been living in Georgia for a year. I have had the chance to live in different countries and gain insights into their cultures and approaches to breastfeeding.
- What is important for you as a professional? Like, things that guide you, inspire you, and matter to you?
- In my work as a lactation consultation at a clinic in Tbilisi, I find it particularly important to deal with every patient on an individual basis instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach. Even though breastfeeding is indeed natural, it does not necessarily come easily for most women and each woman faces unique challenges.
Sometimes what can make or break a woman’s willingness and ability to breastfeed is as simple as showing her a different breastfeeding position. Other times, I support women by providing often lacking mental support and giving the women the confidence she needs to face common fears associated with breastfeeding as well as taking care of a newborn in general.
Women can quickly become discouraged when things do not work immediately even though this is in fact completely normal during the initial phase when mother and child are still getting to know each other.
The bottom line is that I would not be successful in my work if I did not tailor my approach to each specific patient.
I also find it important to debunk common misconceptions about breastfeeding and to show how worry-free and beautiful breastfeeding can be. Against common belief, in most cases, breastfeeding is in fact often the most practical and less costly option to nourish your child.
Generally speaking, however, it is important to point out that I do not see my role in convincing women to breastfeed even though I have indeed been called in by doctors for this very reason on some occasions. For me, the key initial question with my clients is not ‘do you want to breastfeed?’ but rather ‘how do you wish to feed your child?’.
- As a lactation consultant, what are the problems you momentarily spot in Georgia?
- Working as a lactation consultant in Georgia has been a true pleasure. I have benefited a lot from the interactions with my patients and learned more about the culture than I ever could have without this engagement. Of course, working in this field never comes without its challenges, which is true for any country.
The biggest problem I see is that breastfeeding does not receive the attention it deserves. If women do not actively seek out information, they are left without barely any professional advice on breastfeeding.
In my opinion, the main contributors to this situation are the lack of lactation consultants and the lack of breastfeeding-related training for medical staff at all levels.
- Did you have a lot of communication with the neonatal nurses/doctors? What do they think, do they see the same issues?
- It is crucial to raise awareness of breastfeeding in society. Typically, both governmental and non-profit entities play an important role in this. Framework conditions that make it easy for women to continue breastfeeding when returning to the workforce must be created.
For instance, many countries have some form of legislation, which entitles lactating women to take a break specifically designated for pumping or breastfeeding in the middle of the work day.
Lastly, further education and training for medical staff could transform the post-natal hospital experience of new mothers and allow medical staff to provide some of the necessary breastfeeding support even when no lactation consultants are available.
- The Georgian pediatrists often tell the new moms that they should stick to a strict diet. Would you agree?
- During the breastfeeding period, extra energy and nutrients are needed to feed your baby with breast milk. For example, in the first four months after the birth of your baby, you still need about 500 calories per day in addition to the basic requirement of about 2000 calories.
But there is no need to follow a special diet while breastfeeding. A healthy diet should contain balanced nutrients. This means eating enough fruits and vegetables and whole foods such as oatmeal, brown rice and cereals and wholemeal bread.
The only things I recommend to be strict about are not drinking alcohol or smoking while breastfeeding and letting other caretakers or visitors wash their hands thoroughly after smoking before touching your baby.
- What is the strongest stereotype you have to bust almost every time?
- False beliefs about breastfeeding are deeply rooted in our society. It is a common misconception that many mothers cannot produce enough milk.
Self-doubt arises even in healthy mothers during pregnancy and leads them to interpret the child's behaviour and other observations as a sign of too little milk, even though the child is thriving.
Unfortunately, it is also sometimes the ‘professionals’ who urge the mother to supplement feeding: "You don't want to starve your child, do you?".
However, a baby that has excretions as expected, reaches its birth weight within 7 to 10 days and subsequently gains weight parallel to the percentile, is well nourished and worries are unjustified.
- Is the "I'm completely dry" a real thing, or those women who say this didn't have a good consultant or are simply lazy?
- The most common reason when a woman actually does not produce enough milk is an incorrect breastfeeding technique. Inflamed nipples can be a reason why mothers breastfeed more irregularly. This can cause temporarily decreased milk supply. If the baby falls asleep at the breast regularly, this could be another cause of low production because breastfeeding is interrupted several times.
A poor breastfeeding routine, stress, illness or injury may also be to blame for insufficient milk supply. For some women, biological or physical (e.g. hormonal) imbalances or previous breast surgery can negatively affect breastfeeding.
But I personally would never accuse a mother of laziness. A mother always wants the best for her child. Families need to be better informed beforehand and better cared for after the hospital stay.
- As a mom, what do you find to be really good in Tbilisi/Georgia?
- That I can basically say that the people around us, whether neighbors, the cashier at the supermarket, or the baker, are always nice to our daughter. She feels very comfortable and often says "Mum, people are nice, aren't they?" My answer is of course “yes, they are”.
- And what pisses you off? 😅
- This is a tricky question 😅. What comes to mind would be the importance of taking the needs of children more seriously even when they seem trivial to us adults. In my opinion, absolute obedience is important in certain instances, such as when crossing the street, but is not the end goal of parenting.
I think that most of us struggle with being present in the moment with our children. For instance, when you look around the playground, you will find most of the parents on their mobiles.
- Your tip to new moms, please!
- My tip for new parents would be to be present when feeding your child, cuddling, bathing, etc. Make eye contact and just enjoy the moment. Get to know your new baby and his or her needs. Admire your child! Becoming a parent is a wonderful opportunity to slow down and live more consciously.
Is it possible to get Ann contact details for a private professional consultation?