Breastfeeding Difficulties
Common Breastfeeding Difficulties
Most mothers experience breastfeeding difficulties at one time or another. This isn't to be unexpected, as breastfeeding is a natural function. The baby usually immediately becomes accustomed to it, but it's a new and perhaps worrisome experience for the first-time mom, and things don't always go exactly as hoped and planned. Here's a look at three of the more common breastfeeding difficulties encountered, and some of the steps that can be taken to overcome them.
Baby Not Getting Enough Milk - This is something most any mother might worry about, at least until it becomes apparent that the baby is indeed getting plenty of milk. There can be instances, when the milk supply is not sufficient, but these are actually pretty rare, with perhaps 2 or 3 percent of mothers actually having low milk production. Assuming the baby isn't having latch-on problems, and some do, the best way to establish it's getting enough milk is to monitor its weight. Babies lose some weight the first few days after birth, but after 10 to 14 days should be gaining an ounce a day for the first 3 months, and a half-ounce a day from then on. Plenty of wet diapers are also a good sign, but even a baby suffering from malnutrition will wet its diapers, so steady weight gain is the best sign.
Baby Goes On Strike - Sometimes, a baby will refuse to nurse, and obviously this can't be allowed to go on for too long. In most cases, the baby will get back into its normal habits, but if it refuses to be breast fed for more than one scheduled feeding, the possible causes need to be looked into. At first, a baby is almost always with or near its mother. In the course of a few weeks, the mother may be away for a time, perhaps only a few hours more than usual. Some babies react to this by refusing the nipple, their way of telling their mother that their routine has been upset and they don't like it. A change in mother's diet can occasionally cause the milk to taste different, and this can sometimes cause the baby to go on strike, as the baby waits for the return of its "normal" milk. Mothers often nurse their babies when they're sleepy when this problem has occurred, as a sleepy baby is usually less apt to refuse to nurse. Older babies can sometime go on strike, simply because they've been distracted by sights and sounds around them, which often go unnoticed by very young babies, some of which could be frightening.
Sore Nipples - Sore nipples certainly rank as one of the more common breastfeeding difficulties a mother is likely to encounter, and there are many causes. Almost all mothers experience a little pain or discomfort when a baby first latches on, but the pain or discomfort should subside after a few seconds. Discomfort which lasts throughout the entire feeding, or even much of it, is not normal. An incorrect breastfeeding position is the most frequent cause of sore nipples. Either the baby is not being held quite right, putting extra pressure on the nipple, or the baby feels it is in danger of losing the nipple, and is hanging on with its mouth for dear life. A yeast infection is another cause of sore nipples, and may be observed on the nipples, in the baby's mouth, or both. Sore nipples can also result from simply letting the baby "hang out" on the nipple for too long a time. Some babies will continue to stay on the breast, even after they've stopped feeding. They're simply in a comfortable and secure place, so why leave? Switching from one breast to the other can help here. If a baby insists on hanging on, place a finger between its mouth and the breast to break the suction rather than attempting to pull the baby away.