March 1, 2000

Program offers new mothers One-on-One

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
       Many first-time mothers find that having a new baby can be an overwhelming experience, generating a lot of questions, uncertainty and exhaustion. With so many books, healthcare professionals, relatives and friends dispensing advice, much of it conflicting, sometimes it is hard to know where to turn.
      Breast-feeding moms in Grand Traverse County now have another option for support in those first important months after giving birth: the Breastfeeding One-on-One peer support program. Offered by the Grand Traverse County Health Department and funded by the Munson Regional Healthcare Foundation, the Breastfeeding One-on-One offers a sympathetic voice and trained advice from another mother who has successfully nursed her own children. This advice comes to new mothers right in their own home and is free of charge.
      Jennifer Berkey of Acme Township found that the support she received from her volunteer counselor, Deb Hepner, has provided welcome reassurance in the six weeks since her daughter Kirsten was born. Making contact at least weekly, mainly over the phone, Hepner is someone Berkey can turn to when she is not quite sure of something. And Hepner's two and a half years of experience at nursing her own son, Walker, help Berkey navigate the temporary bump and get back on the road to breast-feeding success.
      "One of the main ways this is helpful is that all the information you read in books kind of tell you what to expect," said Berkey, who in addition to extensive reading, took a Breast feeding Preparation class at Munson Medical Center. "But when it happens to you, you want some reassurance, like are they really supposed to be nursing every hour. It is helpful to get the reinforcement that what is happening to you is normal and right for the baby."
      Matching a mother who had a successful nursing experience with a new mom brings back the tradition of mothers helping mothers, a tradition that has been lost in the past few generations as women were discouraged from nursing. The counselor can help a new mother with questions she has about frequency, positioning and just the overwhelming wonder of 'Am I doing this right?'
      "I just felt that mother-to-mother support is really important," said Deb Hepner, a volunteer counselor for the program. "A lot of times when the mom might have been told to stop, this avenue tells them that they may continue and helps them do it."
      The volunteer counselors also know where to send their 'moms' for more help if needed, referring them to a lactation consultant or other health care professional when necessary. They are also familiar with other breast-feeding resources in the area, such as La Leche League or the Small Talk Breastfeeding Support Group and can encourage their 'mom' to attend these for more support.
      The 12 volunteers completed the program's first training in December. Ten of them have been matched with a new mother and find it very rewarding to help another mother in those first challenging months.
      "For me, it's very important that babies be welcomed and a large part of that is breast-feeding," said Catherine Turnbull, a volunteer counselor with the program. "Breast-feeding is not always easy, some babies are born knowing what to do and others need a little coaching and I thought I could help with this in some small way."
      Breastfeeding One-on-One is an experimental program that operates on the premise that reassurance, support and information are key to a successful breast-feeding experience. Other states, such as Texas, offer similar programs and have had success increasing their breast-feeding success rates and duration. Studies of these programs have shown that peer counseling provides both the necessary encouragement to continue and corrects misinformation new moms might get from other sources.
      The Breastfeeding One-on-One program is unique in Michigan and it is being closely watched by other health departments around the state and the Women, Infants and Children office. The state WIC office also provided a small grant to help the program get started.
      Local breast-feeding statistics from the Grand Traverse County WIC program in 1997 show 64.8 percent of mothers leave the Munson Medical Center nursing their baby. At one month, this number is down to about 50 percent and by six months it is 26.7 percent. The program uses these statistics as a benchmark for breast-feeding success because is not tracked among non-WIC mothers.
      While they do not have statistics, local healthcare professionals know there is a precipitous drop in breast-feeding soon after leaving the hospital. At the Grand Traverse County Health Department, they believe that the Breastfeeding One-on-One program will help new moms continue successfully breast-feeding.
      "A very large percentage of breast-feeding moms drop off after a week or two," said Marjorie Rich, coordinator of the program for the Grand Traverse County Health Department. "This program is to help anyone who intends to nurse or is contemplating it."
      The Breastfeeding One-on-One peer-counseling program is available free of charge, regardless of income, to new or expectant mothers in Grand Traverse County. For more information on volunteering as a counselor or be matched with a trained counselor, contact Marjorie Rich at 922-4835.