Central Jersey Medical Center’s OB/GYN services emphasize this month to focus on the importance of breastfeeding and to celebrate and support parents who choose to breastfeed their babies.
Breastfeeding is far more than a feeding choice, and it can be a deeply personal and bonding experience that brings not only nourishment, but comfort for the entire family. CJMC states that every breastfeeding journey and experience is different. Some parents choose to breastfeed exclusively, while other parents combine breast milk and formula. There are some parents who may face challenges that make breastfeeding difficult or impossible. CJMC treats all parents with compassion and support, while providing accurate information regardless of a family’s choice.
CJMC knows that Breastfeeding Support Matters
Breastfeeding your baby is a natural process, but it is not necessarily easy. Parents may struggle with challenges such as positioning, latching, adequate milk supply, pumping and storing breast milk, returning to work while still breastfeeding, or simply finding the time and support they need.
Having a strong support system that CJMC recommends can make an important difference. Partners, family members, healthcare professionals, lactation consultants, employers, and communities also play an important role.
Support can be something as simple as having someone to help with household responsibilities, providing a comfortable, relaxing place to pump, encouraging a new parent when feeding feels challenging, or connecting them with a qualified lactation professional.
Supporting breastfeeding families goes beyond the home. Communities and workplaces can help create environments where parents feel comfortable and supported.
CJMC commends breastfeeding-friendly environments that provide appropriate time and private spaces for expressing breast milk. Healthcare organizations like CJMC’s OB/GYN services can offer evidence-based education and professional support. Communities can help normalize breastfeeding and reduce the stigma parents may sometimes experience when feeding their babies in public.
When families have the resources and support they need, they are in a better position to make feeding choices that work for their individual lifestyles.
National Breastfeeding Month also reminds us that there is no single breastfeeding experience, and every decision is individual.
Some parents reach their breastfeeding goals easily, but others may need to work through challenges. While some babies are breastfed for a short period of time as in a few days or weeks, others choose to continue for months or longer. Some parents may decide that breastfeeding is not the right choice for their family.
CJMC focuses on support, education, and respect, rather than comparison. CJMC’s OB/GYN services aim to ensure that parents have access to reliable information and the freedom to make informed decisions about feeding their babies without feeling shame or pressure from peers, medical professionals, or family members.
CJMC Offers Guidelines for Supporting a Breastfeeding Parent
• Offering encouragement but not unsolicited advice, even if it is well-meaning.
• Helping with meals or household chores.
• Assisting with older children.
• Supporting a parent's need to take breaks to feed or pump.
CJMC states that National Breastfeeding Month is most importantly about families. CJMC’s OB/GYN services celebrate the families who are navigating infant feeding in all forms as they work together with families to ensure that every parent has the information, resources, and support they need to make the choices that are right for them.
