Breastfeeding is Painful ... At First

I already know that this is a controversial topic and has been discussed by many many experts, mothers and activists. Still, I will attempt to approach this topic with tact, fairness, and as much knowledge as I possess.

When my husband and I decided to attempt exclusive breastfeeding, I was nervous. What if it doesn't work? How long can I last? What if my body doesn't make enough for my baby to thrive? I read everything I could get my eyes on. Some great sites that encourage nursing really prepared me for the positive sides of breastfeeding and the value it has for my baby and for me too (BabyCenter.com, Americanpregnancy.org). I looked forward to it and had made a conscious choice to do whatever it took to nurse for as long as I could.

When the time came, I was nervous and excited. As soon as I could hold her, my delivery nurse encouraged me to try nursing her. I thought it went well. During the rest of my stay at the hospital I had several nurses, including a Lactation Nurse, come in to assist me while I nursed. Some women find this "assistance" invasive and uncomfortable, but I welcomed it ... especially when I realized it was starting to hurt. I knew that nursing was a wonderful bonding time, but when the baby is sucking away and you are in pain, it quickly can feel frustrating. Most lactation nurses will tell you that it hurts only because the baby is sucking wrong and you need to help them suckle right. Almost every book will reiterate this. Hearing/reading this can be discouraging. It can even make your feel like you're failing.

Let me reassure you. I found one book that gave me hope. There is a brief one-liner in "What to Expect When You're Expecting" that explains that Caucasian women tend to feel more pain in the first couple of weeks of nursing because their skin tends to be more sensitive. Why would this brief statement encourage me? Well, after I got home from the hospital, and I began the feeding schedule my daughter would be on for the first 6 months of her life (every two to three hours), I found that the pain didn't decrease, but increased over the first week. My breasts were raw and I cried almost everyday for the first week and a half. Some of my friends made suggestions, like Lansinoh cream, breast shields, cabbage leaves, and cold packs. The best product I found was Gerber Soothing Gel Pads. It has ointments and a cooling sensation that relieved a lot of the pain I was experiencing.

I like Lanolin by Lansinoh because it's widely available and inexpensive:

My cousin encouraged me (she nursed all three of her kids) that after a couple of weeks it wouldn't hurt anymore. She was right! She said with all three of her kids it took a couple of weeks to get used to it and then she was fine. The same was true for me. While nursing does demand a lot of time, attention and patience, it is totally worth it.

Many women cease breastfeeding due to going back to work, pain, not producing enough milk to satisfy, and even convenience of the bottle. I don't ever want these women to feel bad about their choice, and I will say this ... Breastfeeding is a full-time commitment for the first 6-9 months. There is a lot of side work to do ... pumping, storing milk, dealing with blocked ducts or breast infections, ignoring the people who would try to discourage you from keeping it up. Still, the benefits of breastfeeding made the effort worthwhile. Some benefits include ... a better immune system for your child, it's pretty convenient, it's free, and there is a long list of health benefits for both your baby and you (American Associate of Pediatrics, the FDA, and many more).

For breast milk storage, I had a good experience with the Easy Pour Milk Storage Bags by The First Years because they take up less space in the freezer then bottles and you can easily squeeze out the extra air from the bag before sealing it:

Nevertheless, if a doctor says that you need to supplement with or switch entirely to formula, then I suggest you make doubly sure that this is necessary and do what you need to do to keep your child healthy. Some Dr.'s will say your baby is not gaining enough weight. This is based on a chart that they use to determine "normal" growth in an infant. I have found information that indicates that these charts may be misleading and that a separate breastfed baby growth chart may soon be available (Kellymom.com). Still, there may be a real issue that the Dr. is addressing. Be educated, but do what's best for you baby and you.

Lesson Learned: Nursing was definitely good for me and my family. The bennefits and successes far outweighed the difficulties I faced at the beginning and the few intermitent issues throughout my nursing experience. I will note that I am stay-at-home mommie, so I didn't have to deal with the work-related difficulties of finding time, location and storage solutions during the day. The pumping I did for the occasional date night or getaway was not the same as having to do it every day. Still, I have known women who work both part and full time and were able to do it. Therefore, I encourage any mother to at least try it for a while. And to those who had medical reasons or had children with medical issues that prevented them from continuing, do not be discouraged. You did what you had to do ... you put your child before yourself.