Breastfeeding Problem
Breastfeeding Problem? Facts and Solutions
A breastfeeding problem is never a pleasant thing for any mother taking care of a baby. Problems with breastfeeding can occur for a number of reasons, but they are rarely very serious things to be too concerned about. Generally, these kinds of problems are due to a number of factors which are commonly corrected and are not causes for worry. They are easily resolved with some education and consultation with a doctor or specialist.
The common breastfeeding problem stems from the birth of the baby, when hospitals and well-meaning nurses go contrary to the natural and normal way of feeding newborns and use plastic bottles instead of allowing the mother to breastfeed her baby right from the start. Admittedly, there are some cases where the mother really is incapable of breastfeeding right after birth because of exhaustion or a serious condition resulting from the birth - but these really are rare and there should be no excuse for the baby to not be breast fed right from the outset, or at least a few hours after birth. It is a fallacy of modern science that babies should be bottle fed and the mother should assert her right to breastfeed her baby from the hospital bed. Her partner should also stick to this idea and demand it from the medical staff.
Latching procedure
A breastfeeding problem can be averted if the following procedure is taken into account. It can take a few tries for the baby to find the right position. The important thing is that the baby should be allowed to experiment a little and find the right place to latch on with its mouth. The mother should sit up at a 45 degree angle comfortably in the bed and hold the baby comfortably in her arms, so it naturally tilts its head to the side and can find the right position easily. The baby knows by instinct what this right position is and if held comfortably and lightly, but firmly, it will experiment until it gets a good hold on the nipple and the milk will begin to flow regularly and evenly. It is important to experiment a little at the start for both baby and mother so that the right position can be found. If this step isn't taken, then it will be difficult to get a good flow of milk and the mother might experience pain as the baby tries to draw milk out from a hole that isn't opened up correctly. If some discomfort or pain is felt at the start, this is normal as the baby instinctively searches for the right position. After the first few breastfeeding sessions, mother and baby will find their most comfortable positions and any pain and discomfort should have subsided.
Mother and baby united
The most common breastfeeding problem comes from when the mother and the baby are not united right after birth. There is really no justification at all for the baby to be separated from the mother, unless there were complications with the birth and the baby needs to stay in an incubator. But even then, many doctors would argue that the best course is for mother and baby to remain together. It has been shown in studies, that the baby will crawl of its own accord up the mother's abdomen to the breast and search for a nipple to begin feeding. The most successful breastfeeding routines stem from the baby being breast fed within minutes of birth.
Restricting breastfeeding can also lead to problems
Many a breastfeeding problem can also stem from mothers who sleep in rooms different to their baby. Mother and baby should sleep together and the baby should be breast fed whenever it wants to or needs to. There should be no restrictions to the length of the breastfeeding session. Baby should stop when it naturally does.
Uncommon issues
There are of course uncommon issues that can lead to a breastfeeding problem - such as a mother having a low lactation level and other rare conditions. But these should all be researched and dealt with in the entire pre-natal period with the mother receiving the right nutrition and exercise. Healthy mothers don't have problems with breastfeeding. It should be common sense that smoking, drinking and drug use will need to be ruled out during the pregnancy and in general anyway.