FROM BREASTFEEDING TO WEANING
MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS AFTER BABY
For All of the Adventures Ahead!
2024 HOSPITAL BIRTHING DIRECTORY
WINTER 2024
ALL
ABOUT THAT
BABY
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PRIMARY CARE FOR THE UNIVERSE OF YOU
WINTER 2024
7 BABY BITS
Friendships after baby, screen time limits, podcasts and more.
10 CINCINNATI HOSPITAL DIRECTORY Where will you deliver your baby?
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12 FROM BREASTFEEDING TO WEANING
The basics of breastfeeding, and when to transition to food.
winter 2024 3
EXPECTING is published by DAYCOM
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Is the First One the Hardest?
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the spaces of your heart. With first babies, learning how to do everything that they require for the very first time, is tricky. From wash-
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ing infant clothes to the baby confusing night for day to sterilizing bottles to getting precious sleep, to one day
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— it’s a lot. First babies mean roll-up-your-sleeves-and-
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figure-this-tiny-soul-out time. We’ve got you covered, and our aim is to be of help!
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Mention this ad in Expecting for $50 off your appointment. Gift Certificates make incredible baby shower gifts!
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BABY bits
by Susan Day
Maintaining Friendships After Baby After you have a baby, friendships with child-free friends will change. To offset loneliness, retain your connections.
I
t's true that everything changes after you have a baby, but motherhood can be lonely without your friends. Although your perspective on just about everything has changed since bringing a child into the world, your child-free friends' haven't. Once you have kids, maintaining friendships takes work. The best thing you can do to preserve your friendships is to be honest and communicative from the get-go, says F. Diane Barth, psychotherapist and author of I Know How You Feel: The Joy and Heartbreak of Friendship in Women's Lives (Harper; 2018). Barth says you can say something like this to a friend, "I love you and I hate that I don't have a lot of time right now, but I'd rather see you for 30 minutes than not at all," then make a plan for a 30-minute coffee — and stick to it. It's so much better than bailing on a brunch
or something on the day of. And when you do manage to get together — for a walk or a workout — remember not to only focus on your baby. Aim to talk about the same things you talked about before like books you're reading, what shows you're watching and romantic relationships. You may find it refreshing to be reminded that all of life isn't about changing diapers and breastfeeding! "To a new mom, a friend's dating or work issues may seem trivial, but be careful not to be condescending," Barth says. "Make sure to be a partner in the conversation by valuing what your friend has to say." For friendships to thrive — with old friends, new or even with your spouse — it requires 50 - 50 effort. Aim to focus on your listening skills, compassion and communication. And remember, being a good friend means offering support through thick and thin.
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Holding Onto Friends When friendships are worth holding onto, try these tips: • Before your baby arrives, talk with your friend(s) about how you might approach getting together differently with a baby • When the baby arrives, be clear about what you need and what you are up for • Keep trying to engage with your friend(s) on their terms (their life is still happening without a baby!) • Keep talking and trying to understand the other person's needs • Seek out new friends with babies
(please turn the page)
FALL / WINTER 2024 77 winter 2024
BABY bits New Study Links Baby Screen Time With Delays
A
ccording to a study published recently by The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, 1-year-olds exposed to more than four hours of screen time a day can experience developmental delays in communication by age 2. The research reveals that 1-year-olds who are exposed to more screen time than their peers show delays at age 2 in fine motor and personal and social skills. For example, babies who had up to two hours a day of screen time by age 1 are 61 percent more likely to have delayed development of communication by age 2 than those babies who logged less time. It's true that babies are mesmerized by screens and that it's very difficult to limit screen time today. Children's health experts take a less-is-better stance on screen time for children, encouraging personal face-toface interactions and physical activity, instead. "Research shows that screen time inhibits young A study released last August from The Journal of the American Medical Aschildren's ability to read faces and learn social skills, sociation says babies exposed to more than four hours of screen time a day by age 1 two key factors needed for developing empathy," says will experience communication delays by age 2. Carlota Nelson, writer and director of the documentary Brain Matters. "Face-to-face interactions are the only way for babies to understand non-verbal cues and interpret them; exposure to screens reduces babies' ability to read human emotion and to control their frustration," she adds. It's not hard to see how screens can blunt the process of development. So for parents, the goal is to lessen screen time for children, not increase it, since it can cause developmental delays when they are so important.
How Often Should 3 Good Podcasts You Bathe Baby? for New Parents
B
athing baby may be a part of your daily routine, but doctors actually say less bathing is better. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to how much to bathe your newborn, but three times a week is safe. Meanwhile, if you want to bathe Baby less, that's OK, too, supplementing with sponge baths. Bathing babies frequently can dry out their skin, so be sure to select products that are dye- and fragrancefree. Try to avoid using new products if the ones you have work well and don't irritate Baby's skin.
8 FALL / WINTER 2024 8 winter 2024
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We took a listen to several parenting podcasts to determine which ones can be helpful to new parents. They are: • PEDS DOC TALK Hosted by a board-certified pediatrician, get trusted answers to your most-asked baby questions. • RAISING GOOD HUMANS Hosted by developmental psychologist Aliza Pressman, Ph.D., gather the latest child development research in an easy, accessible way. • RESPECTFUL PARENTING Janet Lansbury, author of No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame, shares on respecting babies as they grow.
OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank
OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank
“When I realized that I was not going to produce enough milk to support my baby, I felt as though I was failing as a mother. It was a blessing when the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank came into my life. Some women had lost their babies, and donating milk helped them grieve knowing that they were helping another baby live. Some women simply had more milk than they
How to Become a Donor Mother The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank relies on donations from healthy, lactating women who generously provide milk to help other babies. The donated milk is pasteurized, frozen and distributed by
needed and were just doing a good deed. Thanks to the Milk Bank, I have a healthy and active six month old… hopefully with my next pregnancy I can be the one helping others with my donated milk.”
Sarah Mother of Max
OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank 4850 East Main Street Columbus, Ohio 43213 Phone: (614) 566.0630 milkbank@ohiohealth.com Ohiohealth.com/mothersmilkbank
physician prescription.
To become a volunteer donor, mothers must take part in the following screening process: + Phone interview + Written medical and lifestyle history + Medical release form signed by the donor and healthcare providers for both the donor and her baby + Receive a blood test to screen for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis A FAITH-BASED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM RIVERSIDE METHODIST HOSPITAL + GRANT MEDICAL CENTER
questions?
If you have any questions or would like to donate, call (614) 566.0630.
DOCTORS HOSPITAL + GRADY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DUBLIN METHODIST HOSPITAL + HARDIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MARION GENERAL HOSPITAL + REHABILITATION HOSPITAL O’BLENESS HOSPITAL + MANSFIELD HOSPITAL SHELBY HOSPITAL + WESTERVILLE MEDICAL CAMPUS HEALTH AND SURGERY CENTERS + PRIMARY AND SPECIALTY CARE URGENT CARE + WELLNESS + HOSPICE + HOME CARE 28,000 PHYSICIANS, ASSOCIATES & VOLUNTEERS © OhioHealth Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. FY16-123-8502. 02/16.
2024 Hospital Birthing Guide BIRTHS PER YEAR THE CHRIST HOSPITAL LIBERTY TOWNSHIP BIRTHING CENTER 6939 Cox Road Liberty Township 513-585-2000 thechristhospital.com THE CHRIST HOSPITAL MT. AUBURN BIRTHING CENTER 2139 Auburn Ave. 513-585-2000 thechristhospital.com
715
3,100
LDR/LDRP
LDRP
LDR
CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIFE
Yes
Yes
CERTIFIED LACTATION CONSULTANT
NICU LEVEL
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Level II Special Care
Private, special care nursery rooms; two dedicated C-Section birthing rooms; the region’s only C-Section viewing room allowing families to watch with prior permission; hydrotherapy, large showers with seats for natural childbirth; lactation services; room-service style nutrition; free sleep sack; classes; wireless fetal monitoring; Baby Café – free breastfeeding support group.
Yes
Level 111 NICU
Private rooms, hydrotherapy, free sleep sack, gentle C-section, seven-day lactation support, nitrous oxide, 24-hour neonatologist, natural childbirth supported, classes, wireless fetal monitoring, Baby Café – free breastfeeding support group, room-service style nutrition. Mama Certified endorsed for equity centered care. Spacious rooms to accommodate mom, Baby and support person; two C-section birthing rooms; inpatient lactation support; wireless fetal monitoring. A newly renovated Special Care Nursery with eight private rooms for 24-hour access to neonatologists, specialized nurses and state-of-the-art equipment.
Yes
KETTERING HEALTH HAMILTON 630 Eaton Ave., Hamilton 513-867-2000 ketteringhealth.org
600
LDRP
No
Yes
Level II Special Care Nursery
MERCY HEALTH ANDERSON HOSPITAL 7500 State Road 513-624-4500 • mercy.com
1,600
LDRP
Yes
Yes
Level II Special Care Nursery
All our physicians and certified nurse midwives and all eligible labor and delivery nurses are certified in Electronic Fetal Monitoring; exceptional mother-baby care. Outpatient lactation services by appointment.
Yes
Level II Special Care Nursery
Special care nursery, four-bed triage unit, all labor and delivery staff certified in external fetal monitoring, many staff certified in inpatient obstetrics and neonatal nurses certified in low-risk neonatal care; prenatal clinic staffed by nurses; all staff cross-training excellent care to mother and baby.
Yes
Level II Special Care Nursery
West Hospital is a five-star hospital. Voted Most Supportive Breastfeeding Hospital two years in a row. The birthing center is home to seven Daisy Award recipients. Our natural childbirth suite offers nitrous, birthing balls, a Swedish birth chair and hydrotherapy. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional, family-centered, memorable care.
Yes
Level II Special Care Nursery with Neonatologists
Both traditional labor rooms and Natural Beginnings Birth Center for low-risk deliveries. Able to accommodate water births in both locations; many labor amenities including birthing balls, aroma therapy, massage therapy, hydrotherapy, epidurals.
Yes
Level III NICU
Comfortable LDRP suites perfect for family-centered care; free childbirth and breastfeeding classes; Certified Nurse Midwife and natural childbirth options; MaternalFetal Center for diagnostic perinatal services at Edgewood; Level III NICU care provided at Edgewood.
Yes
Level III NICU
Birthing suites for family-centered care; postpartum care separate from laboring unit, unless high-risk; recognized Baby Friendly Hospital; Perinatal Care Certification from The Joint Commission; free childbirth and breastfeeding classes; Certified Nurse Midwives, Level III NICU on site if Baby needs special care after birth.
Yes
Level II Harold & Margret Thomas Special Care Nursery
State-of-the-art birthing suites including dedicated natural childbirth suites, renovated postpartum unit with 43 private rooms, three C-section operating rooms, Level II Special Care Nursery dedicated to tender care of babies who need extra attention after delivery. Interactive health and wellness education; Breastfeeding Care Center; childbirth education; comprehensive maternity care with the region’s largest network of physicians and midwives.
MERCY HEALTH FAIRFIELD HOSPITAL 3000 Mack Road, Fairfield 513-870-7000 • mercy.com
MERCY HEALTH WEST HOSPITAL 3300 Mercy Health Blvd. 513-215-5000 • mercy.com PREMIER HEALTH ATRIUM MEDICAL CENTER One Medical Center Drive Middletown 513-424-2111 atriummedcenter.org/maternity ST. ELIZABETH DEARBORN BIRTHING CENTER 600 Wilson Creek Road, Lawrenceburg, IN 812-496-8273 • stelizabeth.com ST. ELIZABETH EDGEWOOD FAMILY BIRTH PLACE 1 Medical Village Drive, Edgewood 859-301-2000 • stelizabeth.com
TRIHEALTH BETHESDA NORTH HOSPITAL 10500 Montgomery Road 513-865-1111 trihealth.com/womens
10 winter 2024
1,200
700-800
916
350
4,400+
3,500
LDR
LDR
LDR and LDRP
LDRP
LDR
LDR
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
cincinnatifamilymagazine.com
BIRTHS PER YEAR
TRIHEALTH GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL 375 Dixmyth Ave. 513-862-1400 trihealth.com/womens
TRIHEALTH McCULLOUGHHYDE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 110 N. Poplar St., Oxford 513-523-2111 trihealth.com/womens
UC HEALTH UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER 234 Goodman St. 513-584-1000 uchealth.com UC HEALTH WEST CHESTER HOSPITAL 7700 University Drive, West Chester 513-298-3000 • uchealth.com
5,200
400
2,617
1,051
LDR/LDRP
LDR
LDR
LDR/LDRP
LDRP
CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIFE
CERTIFIED LACTATION CONSULTANT
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
KEY: Level I: Basic care for low-risk. Level II-Obstetric: Maternal-fetal services for normal patients and those with mild obstetric complications. Level II-Neonatal: Specialty services for infants born at or beyond 32 weeks with problems that are expected to resolve rapidly.
Yes
NICU LEVEL
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Level III NICU
An expanded L&D unit with valet, parking, bedside registration and concierge services. Spacious birthing suites with hydrotherapy and room-service style nutrition services. Good Samaritan offers the most comprehensive maternity care. TriHealth Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists, Advanced Obstetrical Care, Seton Center for Advanced Obstetrics, TriHealth Fetal Care and the region’s oldest and largest maternity NICU provide care for highrisk pregnancy patients. Breastfeeding Care Center and a wide variety of childbirth education options.
Yes
Comprehensive obstetric services with personal care in newly renovated spaces. Private LDR rooms with a homelike atmosphere. Baby Bound prenatal education program offers free, personalized consultations during pregnancy. Breastfeeding support offered by the nursing team in addition to the board-certified lactation consultants. Ongoing support available. Rooming-in is encouraged along with Kangaroo Care.
Yes
Level III
UC Medical Center is the first in the state of Ohio to receive Perinatal Care Certification from the Joint Commission. UC Medical Center is a Level IV maternity hospital, providing the highest level of maternal-fetal medical care in the state of Ohio. The partnership between University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati Children’s and Good Samaritan Hospital provides exceptional medical care for women and their unborn babies.
Yes
Level II Special Care Nursery
Surgical Suites within Maternity Unit, access to Cincinnati Children’s neonatologists 24/7, lactation consultants on staff, room service for nutrition, bedside tables, birthday cake celebration, “Date Night” Dinner before discharge.
Level III-Obstetric: Maternal-fetal services for normal patients and those in need of intensive care. Level III-Neonatal: Care for infants born less than 32 weeks or with complex medical conditions. Level IV-Neonatal: Has capabilities of Level III units with additional functions. Surgeries for complex conditions.
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winter 2024 11
FEATURE
by Mary Helen Berg and Erin Holden
From Breastfeeding ... to Weaning Knowing the basics of breastfeeding — and the relaxation required as you learn — is essential to success. And then, when do you choose to stop?
Breastfeeding Basics
S
ometimes the natural way of feeding your baby doesn’t come naturally at all. Many new mothers are surprised at how hard nursing can be at first. When the baby books say breast is best, mothers who struggle to breastfeed may feel they are failing their baby. What the books may not say is that not all babies adapt easily to nursing. Some babies are fussy and others won’t latch on. With patience and persistence, new mothers and babies can learn about nursing together. If mothers follow a few basic tips, nursing can be the intimate, soothing experience they have read about.
Get Comfy
Find a comfortable, serene place to sit and feed your baby. The room doesn’t need to be silent. Every baby has to become accustomed to the sounds around the house and beyond. However, the early days of nursing should take place in a spot where you can relax. Try lying in bed so you can rest while
16 FALL / WINTER 2024 12 winter 2024
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the baby nurses. If you sit in a chair, use a pillow to prop your arm where the baby will rest. Take deep breaths. Drink a cup of chamomile tea. Sometimes stress can inhibit milk flow and relaxing can help your milk let down.
Get Ready
Position the baby so their entire body faces your body and the baby’s head rests in the crook of your arm near your breast. If the baby is lying on your lap face up and needs to turn their head to nurse, they may not be able to latch on correctly. If you hold their head in your hand instead of letting it rest on your arm, they may react to the pressure of your hand and push their head back, instead of relaxing toward the breast.
Latch On
Weaning Basics
E
arly on, I decided I wanted to nurse my son until he turned 1. At the time, that was the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). And if you decide to go longer, good for you! I started the weaning process when my son, Townes, turned 1 on April 1, 2022 and we ended on June 5, 2022 just before I read the announcement that the AAP now was recommending breastfeeding until your baby is 2 years old. Sigh. Even so, I felt good about my decision to wean at age 1 for three main reasons:
Lift the breast and hold it toward the baby’s mouth to help them latch on. They will likely “root” around until they land on the nipple. Make sure the baby takes the whole areola into their mouth. If they catch just the nipple, it will be painful for you and difficult for them to nurse. If a pinching pain occurs when they begin to suckle, don’t yank them off the breast. This can make the pain much worse. Take your pinky finger and put it in the corner of their mouth to break the suction. Back Baby off of the breast and try to reposition them onto the nipple. If they are in the correct position, there should be no pain. After about five minutes, switch the baby to the other breast. Nursing from both breasts will encourage milk supply and help avoid engorgement and clogged milk ducts. As your baby becomes a better nurser and your breasts become less sensitive, you can leave the baby longer on each breast.
1. I was ready to have some bodily autonomy back. As much as I cherished the bonding that came with breastfeeding, I was ready to move on to the next phase of my life with Townes — the part that came with a bit more independence.
Take Care
I feel so lucky to have breastfed for as long as I did. Many moms have difficulties outside of their control with their milk supply, and still others cannot breastfeed because of work-life obligations that make it unsustainable. It’s also perfectly fine to decide that it isn’t the right choice for you for any reason whatsoever, in my opinion.
Some new mothers may experience cracked or bleeding nipples in the first few weeks of nursing. This usually occurs because the baby is not positioned correctly while nursing or has trouble latching on. To soothe cracked nipples, try applying warm tea bags or compresses before and after nursing; smooth lanolin over the sore area; take a mild pain reliever about a half hour before nursing to ease the pain; change breast pads often to keep nipples dry. If problems with pain or bleeding persist, consult your doctor or lactation consultant. Breastfeeding is not always as easy as it looks. With determination and a little inside information, every mother can offer her baby the strongest possible start. Mary Helen Berg is a freelance writer and editor.
2. He was getting ample nutrition from all the solids he was eating. He was such a good eater, and I’d also stocked up on frozen breast milk for him to continue enjoying, though I wished I had pumped more in retrospect. 3. I didn’t want to wait until he had a harder time with the separation. At age 1, Townes was fairly distractible, and I felt that — if I waited longer — it might have been more difficult for him to break away from our feeding sessions. I’d seen that happen with other moms who breastfed longer, and I wanted to avoid it.
How We Weaned: 1. I dropped a feeding every five days. You’ll read recommendations that say it is best to drop a feeding every three to five days at most, and five days seemed to work well for Townes and me. 2. I dropped the feedings that would be the least difficult for my baby first. If your baby is really attached to that just-before-bedtime feeding (especially if you’ve been nursing them until they fall
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asleep!), best not to start with that one. Which reminds me, if you are still nursing your babe to sleep for naps and bedtime, you might want to slowly move away from that before you take the plunge into weaning. 3. Though I was dropping feedings, I continued to pump once a day to build up a store of breastmilk and to help my body adjust. If you find your breasts getting really full or uncomfortable, use your pump. The idea with this was to get Townes used to being away from the breast, but also having some of mama’s milk handy in case he wanted it.
Our Schedule: • That “midnight snack” — he was already starting to skip it, anyway. • 4 p.m. dinner feeding — he was already really focused on solids during this time of day. • The morning feed around 5:30 a.m. — we were already kind of skipping this when he slept through it (praise be). • Noon feeding • Bedtime feeding — by this point, I had gotten away from feeding him to sleep, so it wasn’t so painful for him. • 8 a.m. morning feed — When he first saw me in the morning upon waking, he would definitely want that closeness and nourishment, so that’s why I saved it for last. And I vividly remember that last feeding just before going to a local festival. We were going out for the day, and as I fed him, I really reflected on this last time being such a special moment, and what a privilege it was to feed my baby the way I had.
Was I Sad Afterwards? I tried to focus on the perks of moving past breastfeeding, and I can honestly say Townes and I got through the process with minimal emotional pain/physical discomfort. He was always a baby who could easily skip a feeding without getting very fussy, which is why I really had to stick to a schedule to ensure I was feeding him every four hours when he was an infant. For weaning, I think having a plan like this one was helpful for us, and I hope it assists you in your own weaning journey! Erin Holden is a freelance writer and editor who focuses on personal narratives to help parents navigate with grace.
FALL / WINTER 2024 17 winter 2024 13
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