{"id":21377,"date":"2024-08-27T14:45:14","date_gmt":"2024-08-27T18:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/?p=21377"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:16:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T14:16:51","slug":"newborn-nourishment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/2024\/08\/27\/newborn-nourishment\/","title":{"rendered":"Newborn Nourishment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adranae Mena, RHHD’s new Maternity Navigation Coordinator, is the mom of three kids, born almost fifteen years apart. In that time, she observed real changes in newborn delivery: \u201cI had a doula<\/a>\u00a0when I gave birth to my now 19- and 21-year-olds, and what a big difference to have that type of support. I didn\u2019t have a doula for my 33-year-old. Now, I think there\u2019s more support for parents\u2019 decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adranae breastfed each of her children, a choice she credits to the resources she had available: \u201cI was fortunate to be able to do it. I gave birth at Henrico Doctors Hospital, had health insurance, and received tremendous support from my mom and family.”<\/p>\n

During\u00a0National Breastfeeding Awareness Month<\/a>, Adranae encourages expecting families to take a big picture view of their baby\u2019s nutrition needs:<\/p>\n

Nourishing yourself nourishes your baby. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so important to take care of yourself to be able to breastfeed,\u201d Adranae says. \u201cWhen you breastfeed, you don\u2019t have to worry about where the baby\u2019s food is coming from. However, you do have to know where food is coming from for yourself. It pushes the mama to take care of herself, and that\u2019s what we want. We want parents looking at their own health differently so that they can take of their babies.\u201d Strategies for nourishing yourself include the following:<\/p>\n