So you want to breastfeed? Good for you it is the best thing you can do for your new bundle of joy. And you will hear it is a cake walk, what can be hard about it? You just take out your breast and the baby latches on right? Slow down let’s bust some myths!
Yes you have all the right equipment to breast feed, you have breasts! Your baby comes with the ability to suck. So how can it be difficult? Things occasionally can get complicated. Some infants are a bit better at latching well and feeding than others. Some infants need to be taught to latch; some even have trouble getting milk to flow with feeds. So let’s look at some of the issues.
Latch- positioning of the nipple in the infants mouth. If the baby has a shallow latch it will be uncomfortable for you to feed but even more importantly it will be difficult to get your infant fed. A shallow latch does not stimulate milk to flow so babies do not get a good satisfying feed. Infants loose interest if they are trying to get milk but none is flowing. Sore nipples make moms not want to feed their infant at the breast, and the cycle starts.
Letdown-milk ejection issues can arise for many reasons, stress, poor latch, and ability to suck. Usually with evaluation and assistance you can overcome these issues. Need help?
Contact a qualified IBCLC for evaluation and consultation.
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