Midwifery Basics: Anatomy and physiology 3. Understanding the Impact of Birth and the Early Postnatal Environment on Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation

Abstract

Rose is a first-time mother attending a breastfeeding support clinic you are running. Rose gave birth three weeks ago after a complicated labour. Although she was hoping for a water birth, unfortunately labour did not progress well for her. At 42 weeks of pregnancy she was induced, but her labour was still very slow to start. She had to have her membranes ruptured followed by an oxytocin infusion. She used a variety of pain relief options including pethidine, culminating in an epidural.