Lisa Wipfli Elevit Breastfeeding Interview

Lisa Wipfli Elevit Breastfeeding Interview

Following in the footsteps of the existing Elevit product, Elevit Breastfeeding™ is a once-a-day capsule which contains essential vitamins, minerals and Omega 3 to help meet the increased nutritional requirements of breastfeeding women to support baby's healthy development and mum's ongoing energy needs. I've included more information attached.

 

Elevit, Australia's number one pregnancy multivitamin1, has launched Elevit Breastfeeding™, a new nutritional multivitamin for breastfeeding mums.

Brought to you by Bayer, the Life Science Company, Elevit Breastfeeding™ is a once-a-day capsule which contains essential vitamins, minerals and Omega 3 to help meet the increased nutritional requirements of breastfeeding women to support baby's healthy development.

The recommended daily intake of nutrients increases by up to 188% when breastfeeding and increased requirements are unique to this  stage of motherhood3. Those planning to breastfeed are being encouraged to switch post-birth from Elevit tablets for preconception and pregnancy to Elevit Breastfeeding™.

Elevit Breastfeeding™ contains essential micronutrients including:
- Omega 3 to support the development of baby's brain
- Lutein and betacarotene to support baby's eyesight
- B Group Vitamins and iron to help boost mum's energy

The multivitamin also contains Iodine to further assist with baby's brain development and Vitamin C and Zinc which supports immunity.

A recent study showed that even when changes are made for pregnancy, most women have difficulty adhering to dietary guidelines, and while nearly two thirds of women believed their diets were healthy, none met recommendations for all five food groups.

Bayer Consumer Health General Manager, Mark Sargent, said, 'New mothers are busy, juggling many day to day tasks, which can place significant demands on their bodies.

'Our research has shown that new mothers are often tired and busy, and don't always have time to eat a balanced diet, making it difficult for them to meet their increased nutritional needs. Elevit Breastfeeding™ contains essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients to support baby's healthy development while also boosting mum's energy levels", Mark Sargent continued.

Elevit Breastfeeding™ follows in the footsteps of Bayer's existing pregnancy multivitamin, Elevit. The Elevit range includes a host of products to support parents to be and their babies, at every step of their pregnancy and parenting journey from preconception through to motherhood.

Stockist: ELEVIT BREASTFEEDING™ is available at leading Pharmacies.
RRP: 30 PK $25.70
60 PK $36.99

Interview with Lisa Wipfli

Question: What was your experience like breastfeeding your first child, Ted?

Lisa Wipfli: Summed up in two words, REALLY DIFFICULT. I thought it would be the easiest and most natural part of being a new mother, but instead I found it really difficult right from the get go.

None of my friends who are mothers ever really talked in great detail about the battles involved with breastfeeding, but I think that's because mums are so wary of scaring first time mothers or perhaps they quickly forget the problems they had. I wish I was armed with a bit more knowledge before our little man graced us with his presence, but I feel so much more confident this time round having been through it all only 16 months ago.

Within an hour Ted was put on my breast and latched so well, it was like the little guy had been getting lessons in the womb, he was the perfect feeding partner. It seemed however that it was my body that let the team down. My milk came in within 48 hours and all seemed to be going well until I got shockingly cracked nipples that caused excruciating pain, leaving me in tears and dreading every feed.

When we got home, within a few weeks I realised very quickly one night when Ted was crying inconsolably after a feed that I had a very low milk supply and poor Ted was starving. Mike made a late night trip to the chemist to buy some formula and we did a crash course in sterilising bottles and formula mixing.

I started pumping for hours a day to get around 40mls of milk, I went to health food stores to find special tea blends, I started taking the prescription tablets to help milk flow but I wish I wasn't on the back foot and I was prepared

The stress of being a new mum, sleep deprivation and not eating properly took its toll and after eight weeks I got a double ear and throat infection. It was at this point my commitment to pumping plummeted and Ted was almost 100% formula fed. The guilt that then hovers over a first time mother for formula feeding her baby is just another thing to add to the mix. I read many articles and blogs that talked about children having a low IQ and having a low immune system if they weren't breastfed (the worst thing a first time mum can do) and a horrible and irrational added pressure a mother puts on herself at a really hard time. Yes, everyone tells us breastfeeding is best but if it doesn't work for you, then no one should make you feel guilty or like you have failed.

I'm eight weeks away from giving birth to my next baby boy and I will absolutely give breastfeeding another crack. I'm excited this time around to know that I will have Elevit Breastfeeding tablets which are a special combination of vitamins that a woman needs to keep her healthy and provide nutrient rich milk for her child.


Question: What do you wish you knew then that you know now about breastfeeding?

Lisa Wipfli: I wish I knew that breastfeeding doesn't come easy to every mum and there are so many things to assist with the problems that a mum may face. Simple things like; drink lots of water, relax, lactation consultants, special breastfeeding pillows, double breast pumps and special teas.

Mainly, I wish I knew that a new mum can't look after her baby properly and supply sufficient and healthy milk unless she looks after herself. I was so concerned about looking after my newborn baby Ted that I forgot to look after myself and as a result it had an impact on my baby.

I love now that with my second pregnancy that a breastfeeding capsule exists (thanks Elevit), that can fuel my body with the nutrients I need. Whilst I know a multivitamin can't replace a balanced diet, just knowing that this one capsule a day can be offering so much goodness to my body some of which I am then passing on to my baby gives me piece of mind and more confidence with my second child.


Question: Do you believe multivitamins can play a role and help breastfeeding mothers? Why?
Lisa Wipfli: Absolutely, I am and have always been a big believer in multivitamins. I can really notice the difference in my health when I don't take certain multivitamins and it's even more important when you are growing a baby inside of you. You become so much more aware of everything you put in and on your body.

Every time I'm run down and sleep deprived, I get sick. This is pretty much how you feel 24/7 for the first three months after giving birth and combined with not having time to eat three nutritious meals a day (I ate a lot of baked beans on toast), it doesn't put your body in optimal shape. Given that a mother is a primary food source for a precious new life, this is the most crucial time to be taking a multivitamin.


Question: Do you take any pregnancy multivitamins and will you take a breastfeeding multivitamin with your second child? Why?

Lisa Wipfli: I have taken Elevit from the moment Mike and I decided to start trying for our first baby. All of my friends talked about this product and it just made sense to take a tablet that has been formulated to provide all the necessary vitamins to prep a woman's body for pregnancy.

We were so blessed to fall pregnant within 2 months and I continued to take Elevit throughout my entire pregnancy. Given that I now know the full impact that a new born takes on your body and your health and wellbeing, I am so thrilled that Elevit has launched a breastfeeding specific capsule that will help my stressed and rundown body.


Question: How did you feel (mentally, physically) when breastfeeding with Ted?

Lisa Wipfli: I had so many different emotions at varying times of the day. Sometimes I found it the most blissful and beautiful experience and other times it was so difficult, painful and draining. On some occasions my confidence was sky high, when Ted and I found our groove and he fed well, burped well and would give me a smile and look at me peacefully through milk drunk eyes. Then there were other times, in the middle of the night when he wouldn't feed well, or my supply was low, or he would take 20 minutes to burp and I was in tears because all I wanted to do was sleep and he just wouldn't settle. Its such a rollercoaster ride for any first time mum.

I was really worried about my mental wellbeing prior to giving birth to Ted. A number of my friends have suffered from some level of -baby blues' and in a lot of cases they didn't know they were suffering from it until after they came out of the haze. I decided to have my placenta dried and made into pills which I really believe helped my state of mind and balanced my hormones in the really difficult first couple of months. I've made the decision to have my placenta encapsulated again with my next birth and combine it with taking Elevit Breastfeeding.


Question: Did you alter your diet to meet the dietary requirements needed for breastfeeding Mums?

Lisa Wipfli: I'm generally a very healthy person as it is (I love food and eat a lot, but I eat the right foods), so I didn't feel the need to change my diet. I consciously tried to drink more water and keep up my green leafy salads and vegetables but as any mother knows, most of the time you are reaching for the quickest easiest thing in the fridge (which for me was baked beans on toast).

This time round, I think I will sign up to one of those healthy frozen food deliveries so I'm not always making a last minute food decision.

Question: What will you be doing differently this time round?

Lisa Wipfli: This time round I am so much more confident, purely because of the knowledge I have from my experiences with Ted. I know my second son may come with a whole new set of challenges but at least I know who to turn to for help. I think the first time round, you are so caught up in the stressful moment and you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. This time, I will know if it's a bad phase, that it is just a small moment in time. I need to try and treasure every moment, the good and the bad. The time goes so fast, my son Ted is only 14 months old and he is now a little boy not a baby anymore, and it makes me sad how quickly this baby stage passes you by and you can't get it back.

I will definitely be looking after my health and wellbeing more this time round, sleeping during the day when I can and not worrying as much about the laundry and the house being clean. If I am fit and healthy, then my baby will benefit and I will be able to breastfeed longer and enjoy every moment more.


Question: What advice do you have for first time mothers who are breastfeeding?

Lisa Wipfli: Be as prepared for the worst as you can. I know this sounds negative, but I wish with Ted I didn't have the relaxed mentality of, -everything will be easy'. There is so much information on the labour, and yes this is a scary time for new mothers, but it's one very small moment in time in the scheme of the big picture. The reality is, after the labour and being admitted from hospital, you are handed a brand new tiny human which you are then expected to take home and look after with zero experience. If I had my time again, I would have read less about the labour and having a birth plan (which went completely out the window) and more about breastfeeding and coping with a newborn. I would say to all new mothers, have coffee catch ups or phone chats with your close friends who are already mothers and talk about the problems that they encountered. Ask for the products / services they used to combat these problem, whether it be, lactation consultants, special tea blends, multivitamins, night nurses, special breastfeeding pillows, massage therapists that do home visits, breast pumps, nipple caps…..whatever it may be, and have the names of those products in a safe place, ready to use if you do need them.

My other piece of advice would be just to relax and enjoy every minute. It is such a special time that goes by so quickly and you don't ever get it back. Just live in that moment and don't worry about the laundry or the house being clean or having a fully stocked fridge, just enjoy that time with your baby and treasure the cuddles and look after your own wellbeing.