| most women are able to breast feed. I think that the hardest part for some moms is getting the baby to latch well. I was blessed that my daughter was born to open wide and latch on well. It did hurt a bit after about 2 1/2 days of feeding, but she is jsut a week old today and it doesn't hurt anymore at all. stick it out through the soreness and you will be fine. Most hospitals have nurses that can help you with breast feeding. My other advise would be to not give into the temptation of giving her a bottle. My daughter was a great latcher and sucker, but I give her a bottle to supplement and now she is having a hard time. Good luck ↑ |
r u breast feeding??
try on ur side ↑ |
| Not yet. I'm still pregnant, but I'm hoping I'll be able to ... ↑ |
| In my mind breastfeeding is a state of mind. You simply make up your mind you are going to do it. Go to a breastfeeding class and get the book "So That's What They're For" by Judy Tamaro. It will help so much. The main thing is simply be patient. You BOTH have to learn. Practice practice practice. Don't supliment with formula and don't let them give your baby a pacifier in the hospital. It will make life much easier.... Read the book!!!!! Good luck!!! ↑ |
What your midwife has told you is incorrect - it is very rare for a woman to be unable to breastfeed.
The most important thing that you have to remember is that it is a skill and like most new skills it takes time and practise to get it right. The baby also needs time to get used to this new way of doing things and you both have to work together.
Don't worry if you don't manage at first. Getting the baby to latch on can be a bit tricky - remember to make sure that the baby takes the nipple AND areola (coloured part surrounding the nipple) into his/her mouth. You may have to kind of squash the whole lot into the baby's mouth at first so that the baby gets the feel of things.
When you've mastered this you'll probably find that the baby feeds a LOT at first. You'll feel like a cow - this helps to establish lactation. The lactation hormone Prolactin is produced in the greatest quantities during the night, so you will need to be prepared to be feeding during the night. You can practise giving the baby the breast whilst you're lying on your side so that you don't need to actually get up out of bed. They don't need their nappies changed constantly during the night.
Don't let anyone put you off - midwives are often not terribly encouraging when it comes to breastfeeding. Have a look at the La Leche website - just type the name into Google. Or, you could try to find out if your hospital has a Lactation Consultant.
Breastfeeding definitely helps the baby and is good for them. Even if you only manage to do it for a few weeks - it'll help to give your baby a good start and provide valuable antibodies. Research has also shown that breastfeeding plays a part in preventing Cot Death (SIDS).
Because breastmilk contains antibodies it can also be dropped into the eye of the newborn to help prevent eye infections.
The herb Fenugreek can help to boost your milk supply. It's safe to use.
Try to do as much research as you can before the baby is born so that you know what to expect when the time comes. ↑ |
| Hey Briseis. Everything snowflake said is absolutely right!! Breastfeeding takes time for you and your baby to master. It is hard, timeconsuming and sometimes painful, but when you see that gorgeous baby looking up at you while you are nursing it is reward enough. Women were made with breasts to feed babies.. Everyone can do it, just relax! Every mom can do it. ↑ |
| Hey! Look back at my previous reply. That book is a godsend! I used it ALOT! ↑ |
