Learning from Moms: Babies with Down's Syndrome

I have just got back from The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Conference. It was in Miami and I was there 2 1/2 days for 22 continuing education hours. With lots of thoughts, I'll probably frequently blogging over the next few days about breastfeeding.

I was very touched by a Platform Presentation on Down's Syndrome presented by Barbara Phillips MD. Mother's of who breastfed babies were surveyed.  Here is some of their responses that I had jotted down during the presentation:

"Never considered that DS would even have affect."
"I didn't know that low tone, meant I couldn't breastfeed, I just breastfed."
"The diagnosis of DS made me even more determined to breastfeed because I knew he was at a disadvantage in so many other way. I wanted to give him this benefit."
"Slowing down to nurse, was beneficial  to me in that it made me slow down."

Do you feel touched? I thought moms of babies with DS would be discouraged like everyone else from breasrfeeding. I am sure many are.

The title of this presentation was Learning from the Moms. It was shown with support these mom can do quite well breastfeeding.

I love the title. I learn from moms all the time. I enjoy being on our local LLL facebook page because there is so much to learn. I know I was at a big physician meeting and I learned a lot. I know what the Academy wants us to know from around the world, but the experts are right here local-- the voice of the collective moms. No matter how much I post, I learn more from you.

Not all sessions were emotionally/maternally moving. Some were quite political and academic, but I realized how important being around  breastfeeding moms is for new moms. It's more than just receiving and exchanging information and support, but there must be something about being around other lactating moms that helps your instincts and milk flow, miss your baby, want to cuddle and hold your baby. I know mothers past lactation have said the get a sensation years after they wean... seems to be the same idea.