COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the formula shortage continues to impact thousands of families across the state, it’s also been an added stressor for breastfeeding moms.
Amy Baughman is a new mom to 8-week-old Abel. While being a new mother has been filled with love and excitement it’s been challenging too she said.
Amy Baughman and her 8-week-old son Abel. (Katie Kapusta/ Spectrum News 1)
“We knew as parents it was going to be a lot of work,” Baughman said. “But there’s just so much to it that you wouldn’t know until you have your little one.”
One of the biggest challenges has been breastfeeding. Baughman is only breast-feeding and pumping, but it hasn’t been an easy journey.
“You think breastfeeding is so simple and innate,” she said. “I think sometimes it can be, but for a lot of people it takes a lot of work and a lot of learning.”
Abel had a tongue tie and Baughman’s supply went down, which caused a lot of stress.
Abel had a tongue tie and Baughman’s milk supply went down adding her stress.(Katie Kapusta/ Spectrum News 1)
“Trying to up and protect my supply which may or may not happen,” Baughman said. “Trying to figure out can he breastfeed, if my supply doesn’t come back, what are we going to do? Then the reality of the formula shortage really came into perspective.”
Now every time she feeds Abel, she worries about the next feeding and if she’ll have enough supply.
“I know there’s so many people out there who need formula,” she said. “If I don’t have to be another person (who’s) taking that away, I don’t want to be. I want to be able to provide what I can.”
Even her freezer is starting to empty out.
Baughman shows her remaining bottles in her freezer. (Katie Kapusta/ Spectrum News 1)
“We only have these three bottles left,” Baughman said.
Baughman has started “power pumping” to increase supply. She and her husband have even started budgeting in case formula is needed for Abel sooner than expected.
Despite Baughman’s stresses, she knows she needs to put trust in herself and knows that she will take each day as it comes.
Baughman and her son Abel with one of his bottles. (Katie Kapusta/ Spectrum News 1)
“It’s a very sweet time,” she said. “So really try to see the positive. If feedings take longer, that’s just more time that you get with just your little one that you’ll never have again.”
Julie Oberholzer is a board-certified lactation consultant and co-owner of Nurture Columbus, a prenatal and postnatal lactation consultation company. Oberholzer said a lot of moms like Baughman are going through similar feelings and shares a few ways to combat the stress and anxiety.
“I think there’s been this fine balance of helping ease people’s anxieties,” Oberholzer said. “So helping moms, maybe they need a little bit of a security blanket right now. Let’s get a little bit more milk in your freezer just so you know you have it there so you can sleep a little better at night.”
Oberholzer said it’s important to not overdo pumping because it can send a signal that there is an extra baby which can lead to issues such as clogged ducts and breast infections.
“We’re hoping to find that fine balance of kind of squirreling away little bits of milk in their freezer to help them feel better and have a little more security, but not creating another problem,” Oberholzer said.
The stress can also decrease milk supply, but there are outside resources to help.
“We’re really fortunate here in Ohio and we have this wonderful program called POEM. It is a service to provide support for moms with mental health postpartum,” Oberholzer said. “It’s also used pre-natally. This is through mental health of America, the Ohio version of that chapter.”
Oberholzer said the program offers mom-to-mom support, support groups, counseling and connecting moms to other resources.
“Just to help them get that extra support that they may need or even triage because a lot of moms don’t know.,” Oberholzer said. “Do I need something more than just talking to my friend? Do I need to talk to a professional?”
Nurture Columbus serves Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Knox and Coshocton counties with plans to expand around the state.
