Most parents understand the many benefits of breastfeeding and of extended breastfeeding.
According to most surveys, while about 65% of mothers start breastfeeding, only about 30% are still breastfeeding at six months and only about 15% are still breastfeeding when their baby is 12 months old. This is well below the Healthy People 2010 Targets, a set of national health objectives, that 50% of mothers are breastfeeding at six months and 25% at 12 months.
Although breastfeeding surveys often list a number of reasons for why mothers choose not to start or continue breastfeeding their baby, one common reason is a lack of support from friends or family members who have breastfed their own babies. A breastfeeding book can be helpful, and a picture may be worth a thousand words, but watching someone breastfeed, even if it is on a video can be invaluable when you are trying to learn to breastfeed your baby.
Joining a breastfeeding support group in your area, such as from The La Leche League, can help you find other breastfeeding mothers to help you meet your breastfeeding goals.
These breastfeeding videos can also help you learn to breastfeed your baby effectively and get help when you are having problems or questions:
Breastfeeding Basics Videos
- How to Breastfeed Video
- Breastfeeding Positions Video
- Latching On Video
- Breastfeeding and Latch Positioning Video
- Tips for Breastfeeding in Public Video
- Choosing a Breast Pump Video
- How to Pump and Store Breast Milk Video
- Breastfeeding Adopted Children
- Breastmilk vs. Formula
- Anatomy of the Lactating Breast
- Hand Expression - how to manually express breast milk
- Is Baby Getting Enough Breastmilk?
- Four Breastfeeding Positions
- Aligning Baby for Breastfeeding
- Latch On
- Nutritive vs. non Nutritive Sucks
- How Often Do You Breastfeed?
- Breastfeeding Video Clips - Breastfeeding videos from Dr. Jack Newman, including videos on getting your baby to latch properly, signs of a good latch, using the compression technique, and using a lactation aid when your baby isn't latching on well.
- Successful Breastfeeding: A Beginner's Guide
Breastfeeding Problems Videos
- How to Relieve Common Breastfeeding Problems Video
- Sore Nipples Remedies Video
- Engorged Breasts
- The Lower Lip Flip Technique - can help when you are having latch problems
- Breast Feeding Problems
- Nursing Strike Video
- Biting and Breastfeeding
Sources:
CDC. Breastfeeding Report Card, United States — 2007: Outcome Indicators.
Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, AAP Policy Statement. PEDIATRICS Vol. 115 No. 2 February 2005, pp. 496-506.
