I’ve been breastfeeding for 5 3/4 years. Sometimes it can be hard to recall ever going through a period of getting the hang of breastfeeding. But just like doing anything for the first time, breastfeeding took some practice and getting used to. I think this is true for most moms.
Luckily, I didn’t have any major problems nursing either of my girls, so the period of time that it took getting the hang of nursing was much shorter compared to moms who have encountered more challenges. With my first I developed sore and cracked nipples due to improper positioning. That took 2-3 weeks to get diagnosed because I assumed it was a natural consequence and I didn’t want anyone to know I was suffering for fear of being told to wean. In addition to this I still had a number of other things to get used to: Learning how to hold the baby, what position was most comfortable for me and the most advantageous for her, whether to use a nursing pillow or not, how to wear my ring-sling and how to nurse in it, what her mouth needed to look like before it clomped down on my breast, what to do if her latch wasn’t right, and how to know if it was, how to tell if she was getting enough, how to breastfeed at night and still get enough sleep, how to organize those new days as a mom to include things like eating, dressing and showering. And if I’d been a pumping mom I’d have had a whole other set of skills to learn on top of all those!
Looking back, I think it took me about a month to get the hang of things. Having midwives helped immensely because they were available whenever I needed them for the first six weeks after birth and came to my house three times in the first week. My husband took a month off work. My friends supplied me with freezer meals. I had access to free lactation consultations at the local public health unit and the phone number of my local La Leche League leader if I needed them. I was armed with knowledge and determination to make it work. And when I got the hang of breastfeeding, the road became smooth and long.
So today I want to know, did you have breastfeeding challenges in the beginning? What were they? How long did it take you to get the hang of it? Did anyone help you along the way? Do you have any words of advice for moms who are struggling? Please share!
P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win a Prima Princessa DVD for your budding ballerinas ages 3-6. It’s a fabulously fun educational and instructional DVD that I reviewed that your kids will love! Giveaway contest ends June 23rd.
No related posts.
What a great post and so apropos to my life right now! My daughter is 11 months right now and I’ve struggled from the time I returned to work, 12 weeks after I gave birth. The nursing challenges we faced early on (in the first few weeks) involved the chaffed nipples, but this was helped by kind intervention of a lactation consultant. My struggle came with pumping! Trying to balance working, mothering, negotiating a new life involving a baby, very little sleep and my in-laws (who don’t speak english) was, at times, too much for me. My in-laws kindly came from over seas for 6 months for our day care. This was both a blessing and a curse, but that’s a whole ‘nother story!
I purchased Medela’s hands free pump and after about 2 weeks of pumping at work, I noticed I started having supply issues – as in, they were dipping into the freezer stash kind of issues. At that point, not knowing what else to do, I started co-sleeping to make sure I was getting enough stimulation. I also started taking fenugreek supplements for my milk supply, on the recommendation of the IBCLC, but this gave both of us terrible gas, so I had to find another solution. I met with yet another consultant who recommended I rent a hospital grade pump as I had “relatively soft, stretchy anatomy” and perhaps the smaller pumps just weren’t working for me. So, I did that and she showed me some techniques for hand-expressing at the end of pumping to get those last bits of milk and help build up my supply. Also, my sister (who pumps exclusively!!!) shared her techniques of compressions, massage, and some shaking at the end of her sessions that worked well. And, my sis also attributes non-alcoholic beer as the real champion of her supply – she pumps in excess of 36oz daily in around 5 sessions.
After a while, my supply was so great that I had replenished my freezer supply again, which was such a great source of comfort for me. This was right around the time when my DD cut her top 4 teeth and she started drinking less and less. I cut my pumping down a session at work and ended up with a plugged duct and mild mastitis. I decided that it would be okay to return the hospital grade rental pump and start back with my little pump.
This brought back more supply issues – the natural dip in my supply from mastitis, hormonal changes, the pump not fully draining me, working and other stress combined to where we were dipping into my freezer stash yet again.
Today, I am still nursing my daughter and I’m still pumping 3 times at work to meet her daytime needs. Each day, I’m grateful for every ounce, but I am looking forward to the time where i no longer have to pump and can get a full night of uninterrupted sleep. She’s going to be 1 yr old in July and I think it’s time for her to sleep in her crib at night, but I still fear the impact that would have on my supply. I really want her to have as much of my milk as possible and I am willing to continue to pump for her as long as she drinks it. Folks at work think I’m crazy! My family thinks it’s time for cow milk. But I figure she has the rest of her life for that and just a small, but vital, window of time where my milk will give her the greatest benefits.
Speaking of which, what did you transition your daughters to for their milk needs, or have you done that at all with your youngest?
Love your blog!
[Reply]
Oh did I EVER have breastfeeding issues!!! My daughter is now 13 months, and I am still nursing her, but it was definitely a challenge to say the least! But quite rewarding…wouldn’t change it for the world
When I first had Ellie, she had a REALLY difficult time latching on…in fact, she actually wouldn’t latch on. I went through cracked nipples, her screaming because she was hungry, and her losing almost 10% her birth weight the first week. During the first 8 weeks of her life, I developed 7 cases of Masititis. Talk about PAINFUL! But my boobs were huge, I was pumping since she wouldn’t latch on and just giving her the milk from a bottle. So many people told me to just stop breastfeeding…they gave me all sorts of excuses as to why it wasn’t worth it for me to do it, but something in my spirit just told me that I couldn’t stop. I just HAD to do what was best for my baby. And thank goodness I didn’t stop! By the time she turned 2 months, I had pretty much given up on the idea of ever breastfeeding her as she wouldn’t latch, and would just give her my milk from the bottle. But one day I was sitting there with her in my arms, and I just felt the urge to try again. She immediately latched on and was SO content! I cried, then laughed, then cried, then laughed, then called my husband to tell him the news!!! Since then she has been a CHAMP! I don’t have a set time that I’m going to stop…I just love love love this experience.
To all of you mamas out there who are battling it out, I say hang in there! Breastfeeding is so wonderful for your baby and they will definitely get the hang of it…have patience and give them grace and lots and lots of love! Its SOOOO worth the fight.
[Reply]
@Rosanne – Thanks for sharing your story. I have miles upon miles of admiration for pumping moms. That kind of commitment is rare. As far as introducing cow’s milk goes, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. Your milk provides all the right kinds of nutrients and nourishment your baby needs. I never introduced cow’s milk, but my daughters also nursed a lot and I was a working at home mom so I could be there whenever they were hungry. You may want to continue pumping to give her your milk, but remember she will be eating some solids as well so you won’t need to give her as much milk, although if she is slow to solids like mine were, you may want to introduce cow’s milk to give yourself a break. I wrote this post awhile back which may help you. http://www.breastfeedingmomsun.....cows-milk/
[Reply]
@Krystal – Wow – I think you have the record for the most mastitis in the shortest window of time that I’ve heard of. How painful! As far as her finally latching goes, amazing!! I have heard a couple stories like this where the baby wouldn’t nurse from the breast for months after almost all hope was lost. That’s so wonderful you tried to latch her again. I bet that was one of the best feelings of your life! Great advice for other moms too. Thanks!
[Reply]
Breastfeeding is most definitely a learned skill, and harder for some than others. My experience inspired me to blog about how difficult it was for me and how I became a pumping mom, as well as research and stories on feeding babies: babyfood1.blogspot.com .
[Reply]
we had a pretty smooth beginning; not too much discomfort, oversupply, excited eater. but i would say it still took us about 6 weeks to get into a comfortable nursing routine where we both knew what was going to happen when & how. early on we struggled with a sleepy eater, in those first few weeks it can be so hard to keep them awake so they can chow down! we eventually started using cool wet wash cloths to wake him up.
now my son is nine months and we still mostly nurse. i pump three times a day at work so that he has milk for the next day. i’ve had a few supply scares (only pumping related) but the more i worry about it the worse it gets– so i just try to relax and let it happen. my favorite time is getting home in the evening and putting the pump AWAY.
the Grumbles´s last [type] ..just one more, for my bestie
[Reply]
I had major oversupply, plus huge heavy breasts that meant and still mean breastfeeding is usually a 2 handed venture (one hand to hold baby, the other to hold up my breast plus squish excess tissue out if tge way so baby can breathe!) and he would clamp down superfast when I didn’t have much in his mouth yet-I had to get fast! My mother-in-law was my biggest help as she nursed 6 babiesand was so patient with me helping me figure out positioning etc. A comfy little nursing nest was great for me, with a Boppy pillow, some juice or water, and the tv remote for once baby had his eyes shut were all within reach
Maman A Droit´s last [type] ..Daddy’s First Year of Fatherhood
[Reply]
“So today I want to know, did you have breastfeeding challenges in the beginning?”
Did I! It’s been 2 and a half years and the struggle is still firmly emblazoned into my mind. Let’s see, where to start:
1. Horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE latch
So painful. The initial latch would make my cry. Then I would grit my teeth through the pain the entire 45 minutes of nursing. Then it would happen all over again in an hour. Cracked, bleeding nipples. Didn’t want to apply the lansinoh because, you know, it involved more touching and OUCH!
Solution: Paid $200 bucks for a good Lactation Consultant to come to my house and fix my latch. Still hurt for awhile while my nipples healed but the best $200 ever spent…
2. Fussy baby
Was it low supply? Colic? Something I ate? I didn’t know why but he would fuss and fuss. He would fuss as if he wanted to eat (rooting and what not) and then when he would nurse he would de-latch and then start rooting again. Turns out it was a combination of oversupply and the gassiness caused by it.
Solution: A phone consult with lactation consultant above. Kellymom, kellymom KELLYMOM.COM! And also, block nursing.
3. Mastitis
Go to the bookstore, start feeling woozy and feverish. Get home and in the span of a couple of hours my fever goes from 99 to 103.5. In my haze, overdosed on tylenol and got yelled at by nurse over the phone. Cool bath and compresses eventually brought fever down.
Solution: Kellymom to figure out what mastitis was and how it was related to my oversupply and how to prevent it.
3. Thrush
Once my latch and oversupply were tamed, I started getting thrush. Ouch again!
Solution: Kellymom
Overview of my solutions:
1. Kellymom.com and forums.kellymom.net
Read every single article on Kellymom and join the forums. Then read the articles again. Then ask your questions on the forums (and read other questions, sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know!). Then read the articles again.
2. Lactation Consultant
If you’re struggling and in pain and considering quitting, it’s so worth it. I remember at the time it seemed like a lot to pay, but looking back at 2.5 years of nursing (and still going), it was a hugely worth-it investment.
Other things that can help:
- Invest in good nursing clothing, and lots of it.
- Find women who’ve done it successfully and spend lots of time with them, ask for their advice when you’re having trouble
- Go to La Leche League meetings
- Avoid talking about breastfeeding to formula-feeding moms (it won’t help and can be discouraging to one or both sides)
[Reply]
My first was premature, which presented a whole lot of struggles. It took 8 days until she successfully latched at all, by using a nipple shield. Then it took another 3 months after that until we were able to get rid of the nipple shield. It wasn’t struggle the whole time, but it was that long until I felt certain that breastfeeding would work for us long-term.
Amber´s last [type] ..There’s not much Vacation in a Family Vacation
[Reply]
Well, we never got over the struggles with my first, which led to quitting at 4 weeks. The second time was much easier, but I had so many care givers around me trying to undermine my confidence. My online friends were the ones who got me through the self-doubt and bad advice. If it weren’t for them, I doubt I’d have made it through. It got easier around 6 weeks in. Then I went back to work at 12 weeks and struggled for 12 months to pump for him. I wanted to wean him at 12 months because I felt like I couldn’t go on anymore – but instead of weaning, I just quit pumping, and THAT made all the difference in the world. Now, he’s 25 months and I dread the day that he weans because it’s my Swiss Army parenting tool. Fussy? Nurse. Sick? Nurse. Teething? Nurse. It solves all of life’s problems.
TheFeministBreeder´s last [type] ..A Birth Plan is More than a Wish List
[Reply]
I took me forever to get the hang of breastfeeding my prem twins… loads of hurdles to get over and just when I thought we finally had it something else would go wrong and we’d be back to square one. But considering I had twins born 11 weeks early I kind of figured it wasn’t going to be easy.
Then I had a singleton, a big healthy hungry boy and we still had a fair few problems getting the hang of things. It took us a month at least to really get the issues sorted, and I was surprised, I thought I knew how to breastfeed.
About to have our fourth baby and I figure it will take us some time to get the hang of it too. I’ve learnt over the years that each baby is different, so while it doesn’t get easier, there is still an adjustment period.
[Reply]
I was fortunate to avoid a rough start with both of mine, but I think that I did because I knew a lot more than the average first-time mom and had great support. My mom was a former La Leche League Leader who had nursed three babies and she made sure I read a lot and attended LLL meetings before my daughter was born so I knew how to avoid a lot of the early issues that are common. And I was a lot more relaxed knowing that she was there keeping an eye on things after the birth. And I really do think the rest of it was luck and a determination to succeed no matter what.
[Reply]
I just started a blog describing my very difficult breastfeeding start to help support new moms. Please visit at http://www.graduallywithlove.blogspot.com.
Jen Haidar´s last [type] ..Early Questions
[Reply]