Coping With Some Of The More Common Challenges Of Breast Feeding

There are many problems that may be encountered as you breast-feed your baby including physical issues, emotional issues, challenges when you go back to work, learning how to deal with others who...

There are many problems that may be encountered as you breast-feed your baby including physical issues, emotional issues, challenges when you go back to work, learning how to deal with others who want to feed the baby or need to such as the other parent, babysitters, grandparents, siblings etc., what to do if you or the baby gets sick, or if you experience a low milk supply. All of these challenges and more, can be dealt with successfully when you educate yourself about breastfeeding and when you seek support within your community and online.

Physical problems:

Physical problems may include having sore nipples, experiencing breast engorgement, developing plugged milk ducts or a breast infection, the baby having thrush infection or being on a nursing strike (which may result from having thrush), having inverted, flat or very large nipples or having low milk supply.

Coping with physical problems:

If you experience sore nipples it may be associated with improper positioning of the baby and or poor latching-on of the baby. The baby should be getting enough of your areola into the mouth so that he/she is not sucking mostly on your nipple. Moms will often put off nursing if they experience nipple pain or soreness and this can lead to breast engorgement, which can then lead to plugged milk ducts. So, it is best to remedy the latching-on and positioning of the baby right from the start or to make any corrections as soon as you notice any nipple soreness so that you don’t get to the point of wanting to postpone nursing due to pain or discomfort. Never continue nursing if breastfeeding is uncomfortable. Breastfeeding should never hurt. If it does stop immediately and reposition the baby or make sure the baby is latching-on correctly when you put the baby to the breast again. The baby should also be sucking effectively. When the baby is latching-on correctly, is being held in a proper position, and is sucking effectively, nursing will not hurt at all and the baby can nurse for as long as he/she desires to.

Other problems:

Other situations that may present special breast feeding problems may include having to go back to work while breast-feeding, nursing twins, triplets or higher multiples, nursing a baby with a cleft palate or cleft lip, breastfeeding while being pregnant again, breastfeeding after having had to undergo breast surgery, the baby being ill such as with jaundice having reflux disorder, or having a viral, bacterial or other infection and also the special problems encountered when inducing lactation.

Coping with these other problems:

When faced with returning to work while still breastfeeding a breast pump becomes invaluable. You will also need storage containers for the milk and a special room for privacy at work while you are pumping. You will also need to have enough break time to allow for pumping. You can solve some of the problems facing going back to work while breastfeeding by taking as much maternity leave as you are entitled to, contact the employer or human resource manager before returning to work and let them know that you plan on continuing to breastfeed after you have returned and that you will need to pump while at work. You may need to educate them if they are not aware of the needs of a breastfeeding mom. Pumped milk needs to be placed in a refrigerator, cooler, or freezer so that it will be fresh to feed to your baby later. Breast milk can be left at room temperature 66

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