Breastfeeding is something you learn, too
At the Santa Ana Maternity Hospital in Caracas, mothers and expectant mothers share experiences, clear up doubts and prepare to feed and care for their babies.
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CARACAS, Venezuela - Rossy González holds Israel close to her chest. In the next room, Marlenis Villegas breastfeeds Lenyer. They are intimate, everyday scenes. Around them, there are questions too: how to recognize a baby's signals, what to do when difficulties arise and where to seek support.
During an activity for World Breastfeeding Week, 25 mothers attending prenatal check-ups at the Santa Ana Maternity Hospital took part in a discussion session to strengthen their knowledge about breastfeeding. The session addressed common myths, early initiation of breastfeeding and the recommendation to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months.
Every baby expresses their needs differently. Learning to recognize those signals and having clear information can help mothers gain confidence and seek support when they need it.
For Marlenis, as for so many mothers, breastfeeding is something they learn little by little: observing their baby, learning to recognize their signals and finding together what works for them.
For Lieska, breastfeeding is not a new experience. Her older son, Gabriel Eduardo, was exclusively breastfed for the first six months and continued breastfeeding until he was three. She especially remembers the bond they shared in those early days.
“When we had that contact, it was amazing.”
Lieska remembers experiencing pain when she first breastfed Gabriel and seeking guidance from her health-care team. Now, as she prepares to welcome Sofía Elena, she says one of the main lessons she takes away from the session is the importance of direct contact with the baby and approaching that moment calmly.
Among the lessons Lieska takes away from the session, she highlights contact with the baby and staying calm. Drawing on her own experience, she also has a message for other mothers who are beginning to breastfeed.
“Don’t be afraid... It’s a process of adapting for both of you.”
Information and support
One of the questions in the exercise seems simple: if a baby cries, does it always mean they are hungry? The true-or-false cards open up the conversation. Gabriela explains that crying can express different needs and that mothers gradually learn to recognize them.
“Mothers gradually become experts at recognizing their baby’s cry and how it changes. Crying is a baby’s way of communicating many different needs.”
Sandra Sosa also discusses the importance of mothers having a calm, supportive environment. To explain in a simple way how to keep the baby close, she uses an image that participants can easily remember: keeping the baby within ‘kissing distance’.
At the Santa Ana Maternity Hospital, mothers and their babies are at the centre. Providing information and support through health services helps create the conditions to initiate and sustain breastfeeding. That support must continue beyond the maternity hospital, at home and in the community, so that every mother can continue breastfeeding over time and give her baby the best possible start.
