Tips for Breastfeeding Teen Moms
QUESTION
Dear Lactation Consultant, Are there any special consideration that a teen should be aware of while breastfeeding. I am 17 and my baby is due in January. I'm worried about is nutrition, and nursing while going to school, and nursing in front of other people. Where I can learn the stuff I need to know about getting started?ANSWER
My granddaughter's mother was 17 when our Kayla was born. I was there for her mom, Shannon, and she also had other support. She attended a group for teen mothers that she found out about through her high school. And I would also recommend La Leche League meetings. La Leche League is a great place to watch other mothers breastfeed, which is great preparation. One of the reason breastfeeding is so difficult, is because most of us don't have a chance to see it as a normal thing growing up. You can find your closest LLL group by calling 1-800-LALECHE. There are no special breastfeeding considerations for teen mothers. You need to know all the basics, just like any other mother. I recommend going to meetings during pregnancy. You can avoid a lot of common breastfeeding problems by learning as much as you can before your baby is born. -- Nancy, IBCLCKathleen Tackett
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Research Associate Professor of Psychology specializing in women's health at the Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in both the Divisions of Health Psychology and Trauma Psychology. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a La Leche League leader, chair of the New Hampshire Breastfeeding Taskforce, and the Area Coordinator of Leaders for La Leche League of Maine and New Hampshire.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is author of more than 140 journal articles, book chapters and other publications, and author or editor of 15 books including The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood (2005, Hale Publications), Depression in New Mothers (2005, Haworth), and Breastfeeding Made Simple, co-authored with Nancy Mohrbacher (2005, New Harbinger). She is on the editorial boards of the journals Child Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse and the Journal of Human Lactation, and regularly reviews for 27 other journals in the fields of trauma, women's health, interpersonal violence, depression, and child development. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is the "Ask a Lactation Consultant" columnist on Pregnancy.org and serves on the Board of Directors of Attachment Parenting International.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in psychology from California State University, Chico, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in social and developmental psychology. She has won several awards including the Outstanding Research Study Award from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, and was named 2003 Distinguished Alumna, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, California State University, Chico.
Related Content
- Baby Bargains: Ten Sure-Fire Ways to Save Big Bucks on Baby Gear
- Ten Ways to Say "I Love You" to Your Child on Valentine's Day
- Wiring a Child's Brain: Key Parenting Points
- Breastfeeding Tips
- Anesthesia and Children
- When Does Spitting Up Signify a Problem?
- A Recipe for Sanity: The Working Mother's Survival Guide
- Juggling Work and Family



