Building Confidence in Breastfeeding Mothers through Health Teaching

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Through observations during my first clinical day I have realized that nurses play many roles while caring for mother, and baby during the post-partum period. What set these nurses apart from other nurses was how large of an educator role they played during this time. As nurses, and student nurses health teaching should be a fundamental part of the care we provide. However, the teaching may differ unit to unit; on this particular unit the theme of breastfeeding is central. By providing teaching on breastfeeding the nurse can educate, reassure, support, and assist the mother in being successful with their latch and baby’s nutritional intake while developing her breastfeeding confidence. This reflection will explore my health teaching experience, as well as the importance of the role the nurse plays as a breast feeding educator for new moms or moms with multiple children.
On my second clinical day I was able to embody the educator role, and be an active participant in health teaching with my first mother and baby assignment. The mother I was caring for gave birth in the early hours of the morning, and had a successful feed following shortly after. Unfortunately after this during later feeds baby did not seem interested with the breast. As she voiced her frustration after several attempts I found myself empathizing for her because I could tell she was wondering why? I reassured her and listened to her concerns. Although she remained calm I could see the day was beginning to wear on her after another unsuccessful attempt at breastfeeding. For the following evening feed I decided to be present and provide assistance as needed. My co-assigned nurse assisted her while I watched the beginning of the feed, and a successful latch with visua...

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...erences
Grassley, J. S. (2004). Understanding maternal breastfeeding confidence: A hermeneutic analysis of women's breastfeeding stories. (Order No. 3145847, Texas Woman's University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 286-286 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/305052302?accountid=14694. (305052302).
Perry, S., Hockenberry, M., Lowdermilk, D., & Wilson, D. (2013). Maternal Child Nursing Care in Canada. Toronto: Elsevier.
Phillips, K. (2011). First-time breastfeeding mothers: Perceptions and lived experiences with breastfeeding. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 26, 17-20. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/895978498?accountid=14694
Ryan, A. S., Wenjun, Z., & Acosta, A. (2002). Breastfeeding continues to increase into the new millennium. Pediatrics, 110(6), 1103-1109.

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