Pregnancy and Birth

If you live in Durham, hope to breastfeed, and are about to birth in a hospital, what are the things you need to know? Written by Durham Families

Pregnancy
Birth
Breastfeed

Create a Breastfeeding Plan

Your Breastfeeding Plan is your plan of action. It helps your family and health care providers understand your ideal hospital experience and feeding goals. Consider working together with your partner to fill out this Breastfeeding Plan. It will help you set your breastfeeding goals and it will help your health care team understand what you need during and after delivery. This plan can be completed with your doctor, your baby’s doctor, or the hospital staff.

Prenatal Breastfeeding Class

The Ready Set Baby website allows expectant parents to choose a self-paced experience to prepare for their breastfeeding journey. Parents can also attend a weekly Prenatal Breastfeeding Education Live Class via Zoom every Monday at 1pm and 3pm.

Prepare for your growing family with instruction from Duke Health nurses who specialize in labor and delivery and caring for your new baby. The classes cover a variety of topics for expectant parents and caregivers so you can learn about aspects of birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and caring for a baby.  Filling out this form will provide a pop-up link with access to class registration and many other community resources.

Things to know

  • The more you know about nursing before you have a baby, the better prepared and more confident you will be!
  • Breastfeeding is natural, but does not always come naturally
  • Skin-to-skin: Have your baby’s skin in direct contact with yours
  • Nurse very frequently
  • Ask for help, find support – Every question is a good question.
  • The more your baby nurses the more milk your body will make.
  • Babies nurse not only for nourishment, but for many other important reasons.
  • Start early and continue to build a strong support network.
  • Lactation Support: Find a lactation consultant, La League Leader, or friend/family member that can support you after you leave the hospital or birth center.
  • There should be a lactation consultant that visits daily while you are in the  hospital.
  • Know whether your pediatrician has a lactation consultant on staff.
  • If your goal is to get baby on the breast in the delivery room, make it known.
  • Take a nursing bra with you
  • Hardly any milk will come out at first, and that’s ok. Your body is producing colostrum, which is important for your newborn, who also has a very tiny stomach. More milk will come, either gradually or suddenly, over the next several days.
  • Look for the term Baby Friendly Hospitals:  These are hospitals that will support rooming-in and breastfeeding for newborns and their families
  • What if there is no one else with you in the hospital? Some hospitals in the area have a volunteer doula pool. You can also hire a doula if that’s in your budget.
  • Have somebody to advocate for you – whether that be a partner, another family member, or friend or support person. 

Giving Birth

A Birth Intention Plan is an outline of your preferences during your labor and delivery. You can include anything you think will make your labor and birth more comfortable. COVID-19 hospital restrictions are additional things you should consider in implementing your Birth Intention Plan. If the unexpected happens, your Birth Intention Plan will help you and your support team navigate through the changes of birth. 

What are the best websites?

Other questions for the hospital

Please contact us with any feedback or questions.