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# DEAR DORIE Learn the ABCs of breastfeeding
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/dear-dorie-learn-the-abcs-of-breastfeeding/
- Published: 2005-01-04T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:56:22.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Breast milk provides the perfect blend of nutrients essential to a newborn baby, and breast milk supports babies’ immune systems, doctors say. Breast milk also is completely natural and it’s far less expensive than store-bought formula. Most of all, however, breastfeeding is an ideal way for mothers and babies to bond with one another.

Unfortunately, breastfeeding isn’t easy, and many new mothers find the experience frustrating.

Doctors at Saint John’s Health Care Center answer some commonly asked questions: Question: I’m about to deliver my first baby and I want to breastfeed her for the recommended first year. I’ve heard breastfeeding can be hard and I want to make sure I know what I am doing.

Answer: Good for you for getting prepared. Most hospitals and doctors are very encouraging when it comes to breastfeeding. For example, Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica proactively encourages all mothers to at the very least try to breastfeed their babies for a minimum of six months.

To address any difficulties new mothers may have with breastfeeding, Saint John’s has onsite lactation certified nurses and a lactation consultant available after delivery. Nursing mothers are assisted in learning their babies’ feeding cues, proper positioning and latch-on techniques, issues arising from prematurity, breast augmentation or reduction, and breastfeeding in the workplace. This encouragement is reinforced through post-hospitalization visits to the hospital’s Lactation Station.

Question: I just had my first child and am breastfeeding him. What makes my breasts so sore?

Answer: Breastfeeding shouldn’t cause a lot of pain. Most women experience some initial tenderness, but this should disappear after a week or two. The three most common causes of breast tenderness are: ■ Breasts that are too full of milk. ■ Positioning the baby incorrectly. ■ A child who is sucking improperly.

Question: What should I do if I need to breastfeed in a public place?

Answer: Breastfeeding in public is becoming more accepted. It’s your right to breastfeed whenever you need to but please be aware that you may make some people uncomfortable. If you are in a public place, try to find a quiet corner to nurse. Your baby will have an easier time feeding without distraction, and people will appreciate your discretion. In the end, however, you need to do what is best for your baby, no matter where you may be.

If you are an expectant mother, this is a great time to learn more about breastfeeding and prepare yourself for delivery. Expectant parents are encouraged to tour Saint John’s McAlister Women’s Health Center. The tour provides information on procedures from admission through discharge and takes parents on a tour of the hospital’s new facilities from the birthing suites to the Maria Shriver Nursery. Call (310) 829-8794 to make reservations.

Ask your doctor or nurse for assistance while you are in the hospital. After you have gone home, call your doctor for help, or take advantage of Saint John’s lactation hotline. The support line number is (310) 829-8944\. You don’t need to have delivered at Saint John’s to take advantage of the hotline.

Saint John’s also offers a breastfeeding support group to new mothers. The group meets at Saint John’s on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. To learn more about the support group, call (310) 829-8944.

If you are a nursing mother and need some encouragement or have questions about nursing, call the Saint John’s Lactation hotline for assistance, (310) 829-8944, or make a date to attend the Breastfeeding Support Group for new mothers. To learn more about the support group, call (310) 829-8944.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 4, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/010405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)