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Birth Center

Navigating the Early Days: Essential Resources for Successful Breastfeeding

The bond between a mother and a baby begins to develop well before birth. After giving birth, the development of skin-to-skin contact with the newborn only intensifies that bond. Furthermore, healthy breastfeeding and lactation not only continue to strengthen that bond, but also paves the way for a happy and healthy baby, should that be the feeding choice the mother decides to go with.

For many, this can be an exciting yet nerve-racking time as they might not have any experience with breastfeeding or might not know someone who does. However, at the Family Birth Center, Trinity Health has specially trained lactation consultants and counselors who are there to help while a patient is in the hospital and when they go home to make sure they have the smoothest transition possible.

But before the patient arrives at the hospital there are resources available, such as various educational classes on breastfeeding and motherhood to help make the mother as prepared as they can be for this exciting milestone in their life. Trinity Health offers these classes for their patients free of charge.

Trinity’s Breastfeeding Basics class gives an opportunity for attendees to learn all things breastfeeding. It’s encouraged that the class is attended prior to delivery, but this class also is available to women who have recently delivered.

Prepared Childbirth classes are offered monthly and should only be attended during the last eight weeks of pregnancy. Each session provides valuable information regarding what to expect in labor. Topics gone over during class include comfort measures, options for pain relief and early postpartum cares.

Trinity’s Basics of Baby Care class covers the basics of newborn care like feeding, bathing, diapering, soothing and sleep. This class is available to expectant or parents of newborns. Trinity Health also offers a class for siblings. This hands-on class is geared toward ages 2 and up and will go over topics such as baby safety, how to help and some changes that may occur.

Even though these resources are free and available for expecting mothers to use, life gets busy, and people might not be able to attend. The staff at Trinity Health’s Family Birth Center will make sure mothers who decide to breastfeed, as well as those who don’t, are well prepared and equipped with the knowledge to have a healthy transition to life at home.

“We visit with each of our patients and make sure, whether they are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, that their feedings are going well, and they are prepared to continue whichever relationship they have with their baby going forward when they head home,” said Amanda Bekkedahl, RN, and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with Trinity Health.

During those visits, the lactation consultants and counselors assist in helping patients navigate the process of feeding the newborn, which is not limited to but includes: assistance and support with latching the infant to the breast, education on and promotion of skin-to-skin bonding with the infant, education regarding the use of breast pumps, assessment of the need for breastfeeding assistive devices, referrals for lactation follow-up visits to the clinic and post-discharge follow-up phone calls.

Upon heading home, it’s a different world as the mothers adapt to life with a new baby. Even though they receive plenty of information and support regarding breastfeeding, once they are on their own it can be a little intimidating. Bekkedahl believes that practice and willingness to learn can help ease that transition.

“The tricky thing about breastfeeding is that it’s the most natural thing, so people expect it to be easy. The first two weeks, especially with their first baby, are not that easy. It takes a lot of learning and practice on getting the baby positioned right and latched correctly.”

Bekkedahl added, “It’s common for people to think they have to tough through it and that blisters or pain they experience are normal, but it’s not…In general, it’s important to understand that it doesn’t have to be painful or super hard and to know there are things that we can do to help.”

In addition to the pain and blisters, mothers should also be aware of bruising and bleeding that can result from a shallow latch or incorrect position. Getting the baby latched deeply to the breast is not only important to the mother, but it’s also beneficial to the baby to make sure that they are getting enough milk and transferring it efficiently.

Proper latching and healthy breastfeeding can lead to many benefits for both the baby and the mother. According to Bekkedahl, moms can have less occurrences of postpartum depression and anxiety and be at less of a risk for heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes. For the babies, the main benefit is less of a risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), less occurrences of upper respiratory tract infections, less risk for ear infections, then later in life they are at less of a risk for diabetes and heart disease.

While there are plenty of resources available during time spent at the Family Birth Center, the support for the babies and mothers does not stop once they head home and get used to their new life together. Should someone struggle with breastfeeding or have questions regarding that process, there are still resources available and people willing to provide help.

Wendy Strietzel, RN, a certified lactation counselor with Trinity Health, is one of the nurses on the pediatric clinic side who can help during those situations. “Some of the many ways I help mothers are when they are having issues with breastfeeding whether it’s a bad latch, low milk supply, concerns about mastitis and things like that. I help them work into a better latch or find a solution based on their needs,” Strietzel said.

Strietzel added, “we also do pre- and post-feeding weights if they are worried about the baby not getting enough milk from mom, just to reassure them that the baby is transferring milk well. If they are not transferring well, we can work on ways to get the baby to transfer milk better and if needed how they can supplement the baby in a way that won’t interfere with breastfeeding. Also, if they are having any issues with sore nipples, I can give them advice on what they can use to heal their nipples on their own.”

Echoing the same sentiment as Bekkedahl, Strietzel believes it’s a common misconception that sore nipples are a normal part of breastfeeding, and that people sometimes wait too long to get help. “We want to work with them and make sure they get help sooner than later so we can prolong that breastfeeding journey. A lot of times, people will quit because of the soreness they have to deal with.”

When new mothers come in for their first baby appointment and mention to their doctor or nurse that they are having breastfeeding issues, that is when the opportunity to work with Strietzel and those in the clinic arises. However, appointments can also be made over the phone and contact doesn’t have to wait to be made at the time of the baby’s first appointment.

Between the educational classes, visits and time spent at the Family Birth Center and the pediatric clinic appointments, there are ample resources provided by Trinity Health to make sure families have a successful transition back to their home life with a newborn now in the picture.

The helpful resources, however, don’t have to strictly come from Trinity Health. One of the biggest resources someone can provide to a new mother is support, as well as a few other things.

“Following a healthy diet and making sure that you are getting enough nutrients, and then also just preparing. At our Breastfeeding Basics class, we are so excited when we have a full class and people come because the breastfeeding relationship depends on support from your significant other, your family, your friends, our community and just preparing yourselves as best as you can” Bekkedahl said.

Bekkedahl added, “it’s going to help mothers feel more comfortable with the idea of what to expect before their baby even gets here. Then once the baby arrives, parents will have the confidence to implement what they have already learned.”

This year, the remaining class dates for Breastfeeding Basics are September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Prepared Childbirth classes will take place on September 7, October 5, November 2 and December 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Basics of Baby Care will be on September 9, October 7, November 4 and December 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Sibling Class will take place on September 3, October 1, November 3 and December 3 from 4 to 6 p.m. All classes take place at Trinity Health Hospital Prairie Rose Conference Room 3. For more information, please call 701-418-8806 or toll free 1-800-862-0005.

Fargo Couple Finds Home at Trinity After Baby’s Early Arrival

It was supposed to be a two-day business trip for a Fargo couple.

Clayton Cottman and his fiancé Jania (Nia) Thomas of Fargo made their way to Minot to join their fellow entrepreneurs at the 2023 Pride of Dakota Showcase. Their product: Uncle Charlie’s Gourmet Snacks – crunchy morsels that melt in your mouth like a decadent dessert.

But two days turned into two months when Nia, then six months pregnant, developed strong contractions that sent her into labor three months early.

“As we were leaving the trade show I started feeling some really sharp pains,” Nia recalls. “I thought maybe it was Braxton Hicks (uterine contractions sometimes called false labor). I wasn’t sure; maybe I could brush it off.”

Early labor and far from home.

The couple returned to their hotel room and Nia called her OB-GYN in Fargo to get an expert opinion. In the doctor’s view, the contractions were something that needed to be taken seriously.

“I knew just from her body language that this was becoming a real emergency and no way did we have time to try to make it back to Fargo,” Clayton stated. “We needed to try to find the nearest hospital as soon as possible.”

In that regard, the anxious parents-to-be were in luck.

Fargo Couple Finds Home at Trinity After Baby's Early Arrival
Trinity Health is a regional referral center for premature and ill newborns. Trinity’s NICU is designed to support the whole family and provide for the infant’s physical and developmental needs.

Trinity Health had opened its new Healthcare Campus and Medical District just six months earlier with an entire floor dedicated to Women’s and Children’s Services. The Family Birth Center, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatrics Unit are all situated in close range, with numerous family-friendly comforts and conveniences. Most importantly, the center is staffed with experienced OB-GYN specialists and care teams skilled in managing emergency and complex deliveries.

OB-GYN physician Jennifer Johnson, MD, reassured the couple they were in capable hands and that Trinity Health was well-qualified to care for their premature newborn.

“I remember at one point talking with Dr. Johnson and still being in a little bit of denial, like – can you give her something to make it stop? And Dr. Johnson was like, no, Clayton, this baby is coming tonight, so be ready.”

By morning, Clayton and Nia had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Kaidence, arriving as she did three months early, was whisked into the warm, high-tech comfort of the NICU, where an experienced team of neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, nurses and other clinicians were ready with special technology and developmental care to help Kaidence grow and develop.

Madonna Meyer, RN with baby Kaidence the daughter of Clayton and Nia.
Madonna Meyer, RN with baby Kaidence the daughter of Clayton and Nia.

Trinity Health’s NICU becomes home for family.

A regional referral center for premature and ill newborns, Trinity’s NICU is designed to support the whole family while providing for the infant’s physical and developmental needs. There are 12 single rooms, plus additional rooms to accommodate twins and triplets. One room is designed for parents and baby to stay the night before leaving the NICU to prepare for the transition home.

Each room contains dedicated neonatal care equipment and a space for families to relax, rest and bond with their baby. A family lounge is also available with a kitchenette and seating areas if families wish to step away from the bedside. The NICU also features two nurses’ stations with central monitoring and a dedicated milk prep room to ensure safe feeding.

Parents are an essential part of baby’s care team and are encouraged to be with their baby as often as they’d like. In Clayton and Nia’s case, that meant Nia would stay in Minot to be with their daughter while Clayton traveled back and forth from Minot to Fargo to tend to business and other matters. Their situation drew support from the Trinity Health Foundation, which chipped in with meal vouchers and other support.

Support, love and new friends.

“Trinity supported us in the way of being so very accommodating, allowing us to room in here at the hospital and not have to worry about hotels and so much travel back and forth,” Clayton said. “It’s been a lifesaver, a game changer for us as a family. There’s no way we would’ve been able to handle the hotels, the food, the travel. All of that together would’ve been a whole lot for us, so Trinity has been great allowing us to room in here.”

Nia is embracing a hug from Jane Masher before leaving the NICU to head home to Fargo in January.
Nia is embracing a hug from Jane Masher before leaving the NICU to head home to Fargo in January.

“They also gave me a lot of emotional support during all that was going on,” Nia added. “Working with people at Trinity, it’s not like you’re a stranger to them. Everybody’s very open. They tell you about their life experience as well as yours. They’re very understanding of your situation. A lot of nurses and people on staff also have had babies in the NICU, so they gave us their experience and their stories, which made us feel a lot better.”

Nia became a familiar face around the hospital. “I met basically everybody,” she said. “Even people from the cafeteria welcomed me, asking me constantly how Kaidence was doing, where she was at the moment, and they were just really helpful on how I was feeling certain days as well.”

Holistic care progresses Kaidence’s health.

Thanks to the NICU’s holistic care, Kaidence progressed physically and developmentally, meeting all her developmental milestones. After two months it was time to go home.

Fargo couple finds home and support at Trinity Health.
Nia and Clayton receive a NICU graduation diploma and onesie for their little girl, Kaidence.

“She is the cutest baby I’ve ever seen,” Clayton beamed. “I may be partial, but she’s a little rock star, and so many people are looking forward to seeing her. We couldn’t be more excited for the future.”

He continued: “We didn’t know which way to turn and that Trinity sign on the front of this building may as well been a halo. We are looking forward to watching our daughter grow and we have a lot to thank Trinity for that. They’ve been a lifesaver.”